Sins of the Past - Marco
by Pandaboo704
Summary: Mike faced his past and learned he could count on his brothers at Station 51; will Marco be able to do the same? When an OT assignment in Marco's old neighborhood puts him face to face with a past he desperately tried to forget Marco's life gets flipped upside down. Will he be able to take the steps necessary to face the mistakes of his past, or will they consume him?
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimers: Nothing particular in this chapter, but in the story there are interactions with Hispanic street gangs. I, personally, have no experience with gangs and tried to stick with 1970 research, which is a bit difficult to find. I am hoping the story at least has some semblance of realism, but please keep in mind it is fiction; and I was trying to stay at a T-rating. I also tried to incorporate a few Spanish phrases, but don't speak Spanish. I used Google Translate, so please forgive any errors._

E

The men of Station 51's A shift congregated around the table in the kitchen. Ashley James, the temporary paramedic working with them should be in soon, to change for her shift. It was the guys turn to get in early and get ready, so she could have the locker room. Roy and Mike were just entering the kitchen when Ashley came flying in the back door of the station.

"I got in!"

Johnny jumped up from the table, with a clap of his hands, "Woot!". He grabbed her into a hug, picking her up off the ground, as he spun her around. He dropped his head, his lips just touching hers before she was ripped out of his arms. Mike pulled her into a hug. "I knew you could do it!"

"Congratulations, Ashley," Marco came up for his hug next.

"You're gonna do great!" Chet said, when she hugged him.

"I'm really happy for you, Ash," Roy said, as he hugged her.

Captain Stanley walked into the kitchen and Ashley grabbed him into a hug. "Uh, did I miss something?" Captain Stanley asked, looking puzzled.

"I got accepted to the Fire Academy," Ashley said, as she released him. The men had been working with her for a couple of months to help her be eligible for admission. She had come to them almost 5 months ago, and after a very rocky start that had involved a flirtation with Roy, disobeying the Captain on a run in an attempt to save Johnny and her attempted suicide, she was now officially one of the family.

"Congratulations, I knew you could do it," Captain Stanley said, pulling her back into another hug.

"I gotta go get changed for roll call," Ashley practically skipped toward the locker room.

"That's really incredible. I'm so proud of her," Johnny said, watching her leave the room, his hands on his hips.

Mike looked over at him. "She'll need to keep her head on straight. This isn't going to be easy. Getting accepted was probably the easy part," Mike said, giving Johnny a stern look.

Johnny looked confused at Mike's stare, but let it go. Ashley re-joined the men as they prepared for roll call.

"First, let me officially say congratulations to Ashley for being accepted into the fire academy. I know you'll do 51 proud. You technically have a month left with us, but when do you leave for the academy?" Captain Stanley asked.

"In three weeks, so my time with all of you will end a week early, but hopefully once I get through the academy I won't be stationed too far away. I couldn't have done this without each and every one of you. You've been like family to me," Ashley said, her eyes getting misty.

"That doesn't stop just because you're going to be a fire fighter," Johnny said, slipping his arm around her waist. "We won't get to see you quite as much while your training, but you'll get days to come home and we'll be anxiously awaiting your return," Johnny smiled, his most flirtatious smile. Ashley blushed at his look.

Mike's eyes narrowed slightly.

"On to less joyful news. The flu is still making its way among the ranks with a ferociousness that is causing issues. 116s is very short on men and has desperately asked for help. Marco, they're really hoping you can help out given the predominately Spanish speaking population in their area. They need someone for tomorrow's shift; it means a double, but their desperate."

Marco frowned. "Cap, I'd rather not."

Captain Stanley looked up, surprised by the answer. "Well, Marco, I can't force you to take overtime, but I know the men would really appreciate it. They've been working double shifts for a while now. The men that haven't gotten sick, are tired enough they're at risk for injuries, due to sleep deprivation."

Marco looked at the ground, but didn't say anything for a long minute. "Okay, Cap. I'll do it."

"Johnny, Roy, they need a paramedic for tomorrow as well, are either of you willing to help out?"

"Cap, I would, but I already agreed to work over at 10s," Johnny said.

"They tagged me for 24s," Roy said.

Captain Stanley looked at Ashley. "They're pretty desperate, Ashley, do you think if they would be okay with your not being able to function as a rescue man, you could help them as a paramedic?"

Marco shook his head. "Cap, that's a bad idea. 116's in a bad area; I don't think we should send Ashley there."

Ashley looked over at Marco. "I can handle myself, Marco."

"She'll be riding with Bryan Peterson; I'll sure she'll be fine," Captain Stanley said. "Plus, you'll be there to help keep an eye on her.

Marco looked like he wanted to say something else, but at the Captain's stern look he closed his mouth.

Johnny looked over at Ashley. He didn't like the idea of her going to 116 either. He had worked over there a few times and knew the area could be really rough. Several competing gangs claimed that territory; normally they kept to themselves, but over the last few months there had been some random attacks on ambulance crews, police and innocent bystanders. It was a disturbing trend in escalating gang violence.

Captain Stanley finished assigning chores and the men began to disperse to their duties. Johnny, Roy and Ashley moved over to the squad. Ashley pulled out the biophone and performed the radio check, sending an EKG test strip. Johnny and Roy checked out the drug box and made a list of supplies that were needed.

Roy moved into the kitchen for coffee, but Johnny stopped Ashley before she could follow him. "Tomorrow, you stick close to Peterson when the Squad's on a run, and him or Marco when the station's on a run. I don't think any of the local gangs would target a woman paramedic, but there's been an increase in violence in that area."

"Johnny, relax," Ashley laughed.

"I'm serious. You get caught up in a rescue and don't always see the full scene. It's one of the areas Roy and I wanted to work with you on this month. We still will, but keep that in mind tomorrow. Be aware of your surroundings, who's coming and going near the scene; not just the victim you're working on."

Ashley furrowed her brow. This was the first time Johnny had mentioned this deficiency. Of course, there had been a lot of areas they'd been working with her on, trying to get her ready for the academy admissions exam. The primary focus had been on getting her strength, endurance and skills up to par. Apparently, there were some finer points they hadn't gotten to yet.

Ashley walked into the kitchen and filled a mug with coffee. She was chewing on her bottom lip, thinking about what Johnny had said to her. Roy looked her over. "It's just one more area to work on, Ash. Don't let it get to you."

Ashley smiled at him. She and Roy had only known each other 5 months, but she had bonded with him right away. A bit inappropriately at first, but that had long since been put in check. Now, Roy was starting to fill the role of older brother; and Ashley was even getting to know his wife and kids. There were times it seemed like he could read her mind, this being one of them.

"If it makes me less efficient at helping someone, it's a problem to worry about," Ashley said quietly.

"This isn't about helping the victim. This is about you staying safe. Not all rescues are as simple as getting to the victim and helping them out. Sometimes the reason you have a victim is still an active threat to you. You know to watch out for the live power line, but what about the drunk guy with the beer bottle? You need to learn to stop, assess a scene and then decide if it's okay to go assess the victim."

The tones sounded, "Squad 51, man down, 2568 Briarwood, cross street Plymouth Rd. Time out 8:22"

Ashley slid into her seat in the middle of the squad and slipped on her helmet. She was still thinking about what Johnny and Roy had said when they pulled onto the street.

"Okay, what do I need to be aware of?"

"Who's at the scene?" Johnny asked. "What do you see around us?"

"Some kids playing, the woman standing at the end of the driveway, that's our destination."

"What about the teenagers leaning against the car, two houses down?"

"What about them?"

"You should know they're there," Johnny said, opening the door as Roy pulled the squad to the shoulder.

Ashley slipped out grabbing the drug box, as Johnny grabbed the oxygen and biophone. Roy took the defibrillator and the three followed the woman into the house. A middle aged man was on the floor, holding his left arm and complaining it was difficult to breathe. The paramedics quickly got to work, after several months they worked easily together, knowing what each person needed and was thinking with very few words passing between them.

Ashley helped the wife into the front seat of the ambulance as Roy loaded up in the back. Ashley and Johnny followed in the squad.

When they got back to the station, Mike was just serving up lunch. Marco was sitting quietly at the end of the table. Ashley slid into a chair next to him. "I don't know where 116 is located. Do you think I can leave my car here and just ride over with you? It'll mean you need to drive me back in the morning, so I can just follow you, if you prefer."

"No, you should ride over with me. It really isn't a good area; you make sure you stay with Peterson on runs. And near me, if possible," Marco warned.

Ashley laughed. "Johnny already gave me this lecture. Want to try for another one?"

"This isn't a joke, Ashley," Marco said with an intensity that caught her off guard. He was usually pretty easy going about things.

"Okay, Marco. I'll be careful."

E

Marco could feel the heat from the fire on his skin. He knew Rico was in trouble and he needed to go find him, but he couldn't move. He couldn't see through all the smoke. He felt this throat tightening as the oxygen supply disappeared. He saw her then, standing in the distance, clear as day. The flames reflecting in her deep brown eyes, the light illuminating her caramel colored skin. He tried to reach her, but she started screaming; he watched as the blood soaked her white shirt.

Marco sat up with a start. He tried to swallow, but his throat was too dry. He could feel the sweat dripping down his back. He turned and slipped his feet into his boots, pulling his bunkers up and strapping the suspenders over is shoulders. He made his way into the locker room, splashing cold water onto his face.

He hadn't dreamed about Rico and Marisol in years. The nightmare had haunted him for years, but that was a long time ago. He knew it was triggered tonight because he had agreed to go work at 116. He should have told the Captain no. But, he would have had to explain why and he just couldn't talk about it. Not this, not ever.

Marco wandered into the kitchen and reached for a glass to get some water. He noticed his hand shaking as he reached up toward the cupboard. He dropped his hand and his head, drawing in a few deep breaths trying to calm his nerves. He moved over to the stove and started a pot of coffee. He knew from past experience there would not be any more sleep tonight. He'd need the caffeine to get through his shift tomorrow. He said a silent prayer for a quiet day.

E

The next morning the men let Ashley change first, so she was waiting for Marco in the kitchen when he came out to go over to Station 116. He looked tired, even though they'd only had 2 brief calls the night before. Stress was evident in his eyes and he really didn't look happy.

When they got in his car, Ashley twisted in her seat, so she could look over at her friend. "Marco, what is it about this station that bothers you so much?"

"The station's fine," Marco said tersely.

"Okay, then what is it about the guys or the area that bothers you so much?"

"Butt out, Ashley. It's none of your business," Marco snapped.

Ashley pulled back into her seat a little bit, but didn't stop looking at Marco. He never snapped at her, even when she was driving him crazy asking all kinds of questions about his heritage, the language, or even his cooking. Marco was the most patient person she'd ever met.

Marco stole a quick look at her out of the corner of his eye. "Look, Ash, don't mind me. I've got bad memories about this neighborhood; but I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay, Marco, but if you need to talk, you know I'm always here," Ashley said, laying her hand on Marco's arm as he drove.

Marco parked the car. They were the last to arrive, but the shift knew they'd be a bit late and one paramedic from A shift and one linesman had waited for them to arrive. Ashley briefly met with Peterson, her partner for the next 24 hours and Johnson to get the handoff from the previous night. Marco relieved the linesman who told him how grateful he was for a break. "We've been working 48 to 72 hours on, with only 24 hours off for almost 2 weeks. I desperately need the 2-days off."

Marco just nodded. He hoped it was a quiet 24 hours.

His hopes were quickly dashed as the Station was called out for a multi-vehicle car accident and warehouse fire before they even made it to lunch. Ashley and Bryan Peterson had ridden with them on both those calls and were now on a call with a sick child, while the engine crew tried to get lunch together.

Marco kept an eye on the clock. There had not been any issues with gang activity on their first two calls; but he would be concerned until Ashley was back at the station.

E

"Ashley," Bryan handed her the bp cuff. Ashley was kneeling beside the child checking for respirations and pulse. The little girl was so thin. No parent had been found, but the police officer on scene had taken the child into protective custody, so they could start treatment. He had gone back down to the squad car to call Child Protective Services to meet them at the hospital. The little girl couldn't have been more than 5 years old and had been left home alone.

Ashley took the bp cuff and wrapped it around the child's arm. She was scanning the room trying to see what the child might have gotten into. "Bp is 90/60, respirations are 12 and shallow, pulse is 55. Stomach is hard," Ashley relayed to Bryan. He opened the biophone and connected with Rampart; providing Dr. Brackett with the information about the child. "We don't know the cause, Rampart. A neighbor called when she heard the child crying and knew the mother had gone to work. By the time we arrived, the child was unresponsive."

"Squad 116, start an IV with D5W TKO, draw blood samples and transport immediately," Dr. Brackett said.

Bryan started the IV and drew the blood, while Ashley made another sweep of the apartment. She opened the fridge and found an empty milk carton and a few pieces of bread. She opened a few cabinets and found an almost empty container of peanut butter. She moved back toward the couch, where they had found the child. She knelt down looking under the couch and then on the side of the couch, near the table. She found a small open box of rat poison. She picked it up, turning toward Bryan. "There's hardly any food, do you think…?" Ashley couldn't finish the question.

"Bring it," Bryan said, helping the ambulance attendants load the child onto a gurney. They were moving out of the apartment when they were stopped by two men in the hallway. "Where do ya think you're goin'?" They asked, blocking the attendants from proceeding down the hall. Bryan was still in the apartment and Ashley had just stepped into the hall.

"This kid doesn't get help; the mother didn't pay," a large man with the number 18 tattooed on his neck moved to take the lead.

"What are you talking about?" Ashley said. "Paramedic services are free and available to all citizens."

The man with the 18 neck tattoo took another step forward. "Not this one."

Ashley heard Bryan in the apartment sending the necessary message to alert the police to a problem. "Squad 116, we have a Code L at scene."

Bryan stepped out into the hallway and grabbed Ashley's arm, trying to move her behind him. "What's wrong with you?" Ashley asked, yanking her arm free of Bryan's grasp. "This little girl is going to die if she doesn't get to the hospital, RIGHT NOW," Ashley emphasized the last two words, glaring at the large man.

"Her mother shoulda paid," the man said with a smirk.

"How? There isn't even any food in there," Ashley gestured toward the apartment. "What kind of a monster do you have to be to care more about money, than the life of a child?"

"Ashley, shut up," Bryan hissed.

"Gringa needs to be taught to keep her mouth shut," the smaller man said from his position a few feet away. He had the number 18 tattooed on the back of his hand.

"Ya wanna see a monster, Gringa," the large man started to move toward Ashley.

"We have a problem here?" A police officer asked as he rounded the corner.

"Just checkin' on the girl," the larger tattooed man said.

"The girl needs a doctor to check on her. She's leavin' with the paramedics, now," a second police officer joined the group.

Bryan turned to Ashley. "Stay on my left, between me and the police officers," he whispered.

He and Ashley moved with the two ambulance attendants out of the building. "Get in the ambulance," Bryan said moving Ashley toward the back ambulance doors. She turned to him, he had radioed in the call, he should be the one riding in the ambulance and she should be driving the squad. "Get in," he said firmly.

Ashley climbed in with the young girl. Bryan moved over to the squad and followed behind to the hospital.

E

Bryan took Marco aside as soon as they arrived back at the station. "You'd better have a talk with her, Marco," Bryan hissed. "She nearly got us into a bad spot with the 18th Street gang."

"Oh Dios Mio!"

"She needs to learn to keep her mouth shut," Bryan was boiling mad. Ashley had no idea how much trouble she almost cost both of them.

"I got it," Marco said. "I'll talk to her."

"Right now, Marco. Before the tones sound again," Bryan pushed.

"I said, I'll handle it," Marco snipped, in an uncharacteristic fashion.

Bryan walked away and Marco took a minute to draw in a deep breath. He rolled his shoulders and stretched his head to the side, using his right arm to pull his left ear closer to his left shoulder, stretching the muscles in his neck and shoulder. He could feel the tension building. He would be very glad when this shift was over.

Marco walked into kitchen and tapped Ashley on the shoulder. When she looked up, he merely jerked his head back toward the bay, indicating she should follow him. Ashley shot a look at Bryan and pushed back her chair, obediently following Marco out into the bay.

"Ashley," Marco started.

"They were stopping a sick child from getting treatment," Ashley interrupted.

"So, what, you're gonna make yourself victim number 2?"

Ashley rolled her eyes. "They're bullies, Marco. Someone has to stand up to them."

"They're gang members, Ashley. From the 18th Street gang, they're very dangerous. These are not bullies you stand up too. These are men you avoid. For the rest of this shift, you don't speak to anyone, but the victim. Do you understand me? You let Bryan handle any other conversations," Marco said firmly.

"Marco," Ashley started, her tone one of exasperation.

"This is not open for discussion. How many gang members have you even seen, Ashley? Before today?"

Ashley sighed. "None."

"You don't know what you're getting into. Just stick to helping the victims and let Bryan work the scene. You do exactly what he says. You put him in danger too, with that stunt," Marco pointed out.

"I'll keep my mouth shut," Ashley conceded.

E

The rest of the day went by without any incidents. Marco knew he only had to get through the night and he would be done with his shift at 116. So far, it had gone alright, except for the incident with Ashley and two members of the 18th Street gang; but Bryan had kept her in check. Ashley had agreed that a bunk at the end of the row next to Marco would be fine. Unlike 51, there were no walls to provide her any privacy, but she was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, like she did when she was on shift with the men of Station 51, and was not uncomfortable. Some of the men seemed a bit uneasy as they prepared to slip into bed in only their boxers and t-shirts; but Marco broke the tension by letting out a long, loud whistle as Ashley stepped out of the locker room and moved toward her bunk.

"Look at them legs," he teased, knowing that all the men would be looking anyway.

Ashley laughed. "Almost as good as yours," Ashley teased back.

"Almost," Marco smiled at her and noticed the men had laughed and the tension in the room had dropped a bit. The guys had been nice to her all day and seemed to just be appreciative of the help. It wasn't until the sleeping in the same room as a woman became a reality that there had been any issues with a woman in the station.

Ashley was taking the easy acceptance as a good sign for her upcoming admission to the fire academy. Her first assignment as a fire fighter in North Carolina had been a disaster. The men had been unwilling to accept a woman as a fire fighter. Of course, she thought as she slipped under the blanket, she wasn't functioning as a fire fighter here, or even at Station 51.

It was just after 5:00 AM when the tones sounded for a house fire. The men scrambled into their bunkers, Ashley slipped on her uniform pants, and slid her feet into her shoes as she pulled on her shirt, buttoning it as she moved toward the squad.

Marco stopped her progression briefly. "Stay near the squad. Don't talk to anyone other than the victims. Don't wander away from the perimeter the fire trucks make," Marco instructed.

Ashley noticed this response was different than ones that had occurred during the day. Police were already responding to the scene and the fire trucks and squad parked with the police cars to create a semi-circle around the burning home. Police moved to the outside perimeter, and were watching the crowd.

It was believed the family was still inside the home. Bryan moved to put on his air tank, while Ashley worked on setting up a triage area. Bryan joined Marco and Jack on the line to enter the inferno. Ashley let her gaze wander over the crowd watching the fire. On one side she saw many of the men, more accurately boys, had 18 tattooed somewhere visible on their bodies. They were dressed in dark clothing and many wore an expression that Ashley would have almost classified as proud, or triumphant. Most were silent, but a few were talking and gesturing to each other. Ashley turned to follow their stares to the other side of the semi-circle barricade created by the vehicles. Furious looking young men stood on that side of the perimeter; but instead of the number 18 tattooed on them, many wore C14 visibly inked onto their bodies. They also were dressed in dark colors. They did not seem silent; many were talking angrily with others around them. More police officers were being moved to that side of the perimeter. Ashley noticed all of the police officers were holding night sticks.

She turned her attention back to the house, as someone exited carrying a victim over their shoulders. Ashley knelt down to attend to the young boy laid on the ground by Jack, one of the linesman. "Marco and Bryan are on their way out," he said quickly, before heading back toward the house.

Ashley positioned an oxygen mask on the young man, noting he also had C14 tattooed on his forearm. She started checking for pulse and respirations; her back to the group of men displaying the number 18. She was pumping up the blood pressure cuff when she was suddenly knocked forward by something hitting her hard on the back of her head. For just a moment, her vision blurred and she felt sick to her stomach.

She reached back feeling something wet in her hair, the smell of beer making her stomach lurch a second time. Her eyes focused on the beer bottle laying a few feet to her right. She became aware of the commotion behind her as multiple police officers moved toward the members of the 18th Street gang; someone had thrown the bottle at her for trying help the person they considered their enemy. Ashley felt her head again, the moisture appeared to be beer, not blood.

Ashley forced herself to return to her job, as Marco and Bryan rushed out of the house; each carrying another victim.

"Are you okay?" Marco asked, laying a man on the blanket next to the young boy.

"Yeah," Ashley said, trying to concentrate on listening for the blood pressure change to get an accurate reading.

She felt Bryan touching her head. She tried to swat at his hand, but Marco stopped her arm mid-air. "Let him check you out."

"Vision blurry?" Bryan asked, feeling the bump already forming on the back of her head.

"It was momentarily," Ashley answered honestly, writing down the victims bp in her notebook. "A wave of nausea too, but both have passed."

"We'll get you checked out, when we bring the victims in. If you start having any symptoms, you tell me right away, you hear me?" Bryan said, moving away from her, to go check the woman he had carried out.

"Understood," Ashley said, moving to the man she guessed was the father of the boy she had just been working on.

Squad 24 arrived to help on scene and Roy, who was filling in that night as well, quickly joined Bryan and Ashely to assess victims. Bryan looked at Roy and his partner for the day, Daniel, and asked them to take over care of the father and son. "Ashley took a blow to the head with a bottle and probably has a minor concussion. I prefer she not be treating victims."

Roy quickly moved to Ashley's side. "Where are you hurt?"

"Bryan already checked me. I'm fine."

Roy just looked at her for a moment. "Back of my head," Ashley said, knowing she was not going to get away without Roy checking her out.

"Your hair is wet, but I'm not seeing any blood," Roy said, moving her, so the back of her head was facing a street light and he could see better.

"I think the bottle still had beer in it," Ashley said.

"Let the Captain know that we'll be sending Bryan in with the boy and the mother. You and I will take the father in. He'll need someone to drive the squad to meet you at Rampart," Roy said, moving to start working on the older gentleman.

Ashley stood up and leaned against the squad as the world tilted slightly. She looked around for the Captain. He was walking near Marco, moving around the edge of the perimeter, where the boys with C14 tattooed on their bodies were congregating. The Captain was watching, as Marco hosed down the neighboring house to avoid the risk of blowing embers starting a second fire.

Ashley moved over near the Captain. "We're getting ready to move out the victims. Bryan will take in the boy and his mother. Squad 24 is going to take in the father, but want me to ride along. It appears the group of boys over there were less than thrilled with my helping the teen and hit me with a bottle. Bryan wants me to get checked at Rampart. Can you have someone bring in the squad?"

The Captain looked over at the fire and at Marco. "Let Lopez know, he can drive the squad into Rampart to get you and Bryan. This fire's pretty much under control. You gonna be okay?" The Captain looked at her briefly.

"Yes, Sir," Ashley said, moving toward Marco.

He had just turned off the water to the line and laid down the hose. He slipped off his helmet and ran his arm across his forehead.

"Marco! Marco Lopez!" A woman just outside the perimeter screamed his name in disbelief. Out of reflex, Marco turned to look.

A beautiful woman with long, dark hair and dark eyes moved between two fire trucks, throwing her arms around Marco's neck. "No lo creo!"

"Marisol?" Marco said, his eyes wide.

"Marco, it's been so long. I thought you…," Marisol didn't get a chance to finish her statement. A man moved away from the back of the gang, and quickly approached the two of them. He was older than the boys that had been congregating in the front of the crowd, and looked much scarier, in Ashley's opinion.

"Marco Lopez? Acabo de ver a un muerto andante," the man said to Marisol, getting very close to Marco.

"Jose," Marco said, coldly.

"Marco?" Ashley moved closer to her friend. She was worried about the look on Marco's face. It was a mixture between fear, disbelief, and pure hatred.

"Get in the squad," Marco said sharply, without turning to look at her.

Ashley looked around and saw a familiar police man standing not too far away. "Vince!"

Marco and the man he called Jose continued standing nose to nose, neither saying anything, but the tension in the air was thick. The woman, Marisol, looked horrified by the situation in front of her.

Ashley moved to stand closer to Marco. Jose glanced her way, just briefly.

"I told you to get in the squad," Marco hissed, through clenched teeth.

Ashley didn't speak, but stood her ground, watching both Marisol and Jose. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Vince moving in their direction.

"Is there a problem here, Jose?" Vince addressed the older man with C14 tattooed on his hand.

"Just catching up with un viejo amigo," Jose said, taking a step back, as he grabbed Marisol's arm and moved her with him.

"We need you to drive the squad back to the hospital. Both Bryan and I are going with ambulances," Ashley said, taking a hold of Marco's arm.

Marco moved back with Ashley, but didn't take his eyes off Jose until they were quite a distance apart.

"Who was that, Marco? And what did he say about a dead man?" Ashley asked, looking over at Marco, who looked unusually pale.

"Drop it!" Marco looked over at Ashley and she actually stopped walking, stunned by the look in his eyes and anger in his voice. She wanted to ask who the two people were, how Marco knew them, and why he would know members of an obvious gang, but Marco's look froze those questions in her throat.

Marco took a few steps back and grabbed Ashley by the elbow when he realized she had stopped walking. "Look, Ashley. It's all in the past. Just let it drop," Marco softened his voice, as he led her toward the ambulance.

Marco saw Roy standing by one of the ambulances. "Why is Roy riding with you?"

"I got hit with a bottle. Bryan wants me to get checked out," Ashley said. "What's going on, Marco?"

"You got hit with a bottle, where?" Marco stopped her.

"Ashley! We gotta go!" Roy called out.

"I'll see you at the hospital. I'm fine, Marco," Ashley called back, as she jogged over to join Roy.

Ashley got into the ambulance and felt her head begin to throb as she sat down. She definitely should not have jogged.

"Are you okay?" Roy asked.

Ashley simply nodded, her thoughts already back on Marco. "Roy, two of those gang members, with the C14 tattoos, knew Marco."

"I think Marco may have grown up in this area," Roy said.

"Do you think he used to be part of that gang?" Ashley asked quietly.

"No way," Roy shook his head. "The C14, stands for Clanton 14, it's a Hispanic street gang that's been around for a very long time. They are loyal to the Mexican Mafia. There is no way Marco was a member of that gang. The don't have "former" members, they have members and dead members."

"The guy, Jose, said something to Marco in Spanish. I didn't understand it all, but it was something about a dead man," Ashley said, her eyes widening slightly.

"Ashley," Roy dipped his head to hide his smirk. "By dead members, I mean members that were killed. Either doing something wrong, or because they wanted to leave and the gang killed them."

"Oh," Ashley said, biting her lip. "Something isn't right, Roy. I'm worried about Marco."

The ambulance started backing up into a spot at the Emergency entrance to Rampart. "He'll be fine, Ashley. If he needs help, he knows he can ask us."

Roy climbed out of the ambulance and met Dr. Morton. Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early had met the earlier ambulance with Bryan. It was already almost 7:00 AM and the day shift was already in full swing. Roy moved down the hall near the gurney, Ashley tailing behind him. "Hey, Dix! Ashley got hit by a bottle and needs to get checked out. Can you find her a room?" Roy called to the nurse, just before he entered Treatment room 2 with his patient.

"Sure," Dixie moved toward Ashley. "Come on in Room 3. I'll send Kel or Joe in, as soon as their free."

Ashley had a minor concussion, but was approved to go back to work with Station 51 for her next shift. Dr. Brackett had advised Roy to keep an eye on her, but he thought she would be okay. Ashley rode back to Station 116 with Marco, so they could return the squad and Marco could drive her back to get her car.

Neither of them noticed the three people sitting in the car across the street watching them. Nor did they notice when the car followed them back to Station 51. Fortunately for Marco, as traffic increased they lost Marco before he made it home.

The young man driving was cowering in his seat as Jose swore when they lost sight of Marco. "But, we know where he works," he said, his voice quivering slightly. Jose was not a man you let down.

"For your sake, you'd better hope I see him again soon. Get me back," Jose barked.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Translation – First, let me say if I messed anything up with my attempted use of Spanish, I am VERY sorry. I actually don't speak any Spanish, and used Google to research everything I did.

"Oh Dios Mio" – Oh my God

"No lo creo" – I don't believe it

"Acabo de ver a un muerto andante" – I've just seen a dead man walking

"un viejo amigo" – an old friend


	2. Chapter 2

Johnny was waiting in the parking lot when Ashley pulled in for their next shift. He moved toward her as she stepped out of the car. "Why didn't you call me?" Johnny asked.

"Huh?"

"Yesterday, why didn't you call me? Roy told me last night you got hit with a beer bottle at a scene when you worked for 116. Minor concussion, and you didn't call me?"

Ashley smiled at him, and moved to slip her arms around his waist. His arms enveloping her in an embrace. She looked up into his concerned brown eyes. "By the time I got home, I crashed for like 6 hours. When I woke up, I had a killer headache, but I still needed to do laundry and grocery shop. Plus, I spent a lot of time trying to reach Marco. I'm worried about him, Johnny. Did Roy tell you that Marco ran into some people he knew, members of a gang, Clanton 14?"

Johnny pulled back slightly. "Are you serious? Marco knew members of the Clanton 14 gang? He actually talked to them?"

"Some guy named Jose and a woman named Marisol. Marco definitely knew them, and they knew him. I've never seen Marco look like that Johnny. A mixture of fear and hatred. And that Jose guy, he was really scary. He looked older than Marco, but they could be the same age," Ashley left one arm around Johnny's waist, as they started to walk toward the station. He had his arm slung over her shoulders. He raised the hand resting on her shoulder at Mike, as he drove into the parking lot.

Mike rolled down his window. "Johnny, let Ashley go change. I need to talk to you for a minute."

"I'll see you inside," Johnny gave her shoulder a squeeze and watched her as she walked into the station.

Mike got out of his truck and moved over near Johnny. He was also watching Ashley walk into the station.

"What's up?" Johnny asked Mike.

"I want to talk to you about Ashley," Mike said.

"What about her?"

"I don't want you asking her out," Mike said.

"What?"

"C'mon, Johnny. I know nothing's goin' on right now, 'cause she's working with us, and Cap told you no. But, I also know that as soon as she's no longer a member of Station 51, you intend to," Mike paused, searching for the right wording. "…to intensify your relationship with her."

"Mike, I really like Ashley. I thought everything was fine between you and I?" Johnny was confused by Mike's attitude toward him.

"She needs to concentrate on her training. The last thing she needs is a John Gage hit and run."

"A what?"

"Look, John, we're friends. But, everyone knows how you are. You fall fast and hard for a girl, then just as quickly you're movin' on to the next pretty face. Ashley doesn't need that. She needs to focus on performing well at the academy, and keeping her mental health in check. I don't want you breakin' her heart," Mike pointed his finger at Johnny's chest.

"Mike, I'm not gonna break her heart. It isn't like that with Ashley. I really…"

"Yeah, yeah, you really like her. I've heard it all before," Mike interrupted.

"We've been together for months, maybe not romantically, but close enough. She's not like the others. She's different," Johnny insisted.

"Like the woman you were gonna marry? We heard how she was different too, and how much you loved her. Didn't she turn out to have a bunch of bratty kids?"

"Veronica. Mike, this isn't like that. I know Ashley. We've spent 5 months together. We've talked about a lot of things, spent a lot of time together."

"If we're friends, you'll do what I'm asking. Let her get through the academy first. Then, if you still think you have feelings for her, then, you can ask her out," Mike walked into the station, before Johnny could respond.

Johnny ran his hands through his hair. Now what was he supposed to do. He'd been planning on asking Ashley out for months. He'd realized while she was in the hospital following her suicide attempt that he was starting to feel more than friendship toward her. Hours spent working with her both on shift and on climbing and rappelling to get ready for the academy had only intensified those feelings. He had frequently held her close while showing her techniques for getting up and down structures; they definitely had sexual chemistry. He had forced himself to keep things platonic; because Captain Stanley had been very clear that a romance between them would not be tolerated. He'd kept telling himself that as soon as her time with 51 was over, he would make up for lost time. He already had a very romantic night planned in his head.

"Forget how to find your way into the station, Gage," Chet asked, walking past the young paramedic, who was still just standing in the parking lot.

"Shut up, Chet," Johnny said, his mood not up for Chet's joking.

"What's eating you?" Chet asked, as he continued into the station.

Ashley was walking back into the kitchen, as Chet and Johnny walked in the back door. "Locker room's all yours," she announced.

Johnny felt a pang in his heart. How was he going to just let her go? He'd been hinting for weeks that he intended to ask her out. She seemed interested in that idea. They'd even been pushing the definition of platonic, touching each other in small ways. She had invaded his dreams more than once. Johnny avoided her gaze as he made his way into the locker room, feeling the sadness seep into his chest. He'd try to talk to Mike again later.

Johnny looked up as Marco entered the locker room. He remembered what Ashley had been saying that morning. Marco looked like he hadn't slept much, dark circles under his eyes. "Hey, Marco, everything okay?"

"Fine," Marco said.

"I heard you had some excitement over at 116," Johnny said, trying to lead the conversation to the incident Ashley had told him about.

"Are you talking about Ashley getting herself in trouble by mouthing off to members of the 18th street gang, or later when she got hit by a bottle during a rescue?"

"Ashley got hit by a bottle?" Chet asked.

"Ashley was mouthing off to gang members?" Johnny said, shocked by that piece of news.

"It's a good thing the police showed up," Marco said.

Johnny shook his head, trying to absorb that new piece of information. He needed to try to get the conversation back where he needed it to go. "She mentioned you ran into some old friends."

"Don't start," Marco said sharply.

"Marco," Johnny started.

"Drop it, Gage," Marco snapped, slamming his locker and leaving the locker room.

Marco exited the locker room and went to find Ashley in the kitchen. She was just filling a cup with coffee. "What have you been telling the guys?"

"That some scary looking gang guy knew you. I'm worried for you, Marco," Ashley said, handing him the cup.

"Stay out of it, Ashley," Marco said, gruffly, sitting the cup down hard on the counter.

"How do you know them?"

Marco took a step closer to her, Ashley instinctively backed up, bumping into the counter. "Butt out," Marco hissed.

Ashley's eyes widened as she realized what she was feeling was fear, of Marco.

Marco realized what he was doing. "I'm sorry, Ash," Marco softened his tone. He rubbed his hands over his face.

"They're both in my past, a past I really don't wanna talk about," Marco mumbled.

"I'll drop it, if they stay in the past. I'm worried they won't," Ashley said.

"They will," Marco said, taking any concession he could get right now.

Ashley poured another cup of coffee and the two of them moved to the kitchen table. The men of C shift started wandering out of the station. A few stopped by to congratulate Ashley on getting into the academy. Some looked at her, but said nothing.

Captain Stanley popped his head in. "Roll call in two."

Marco and Ashley put their mugs in the sink and took their positions in front of the engine and squad. They were soon joined by the rest of the crew. It was decided that they were going to wash and wax the engine and squad first thing and then they'd do some training exercises in the afternoon.

Mike pulled the engine out of the bay and onto the driveway. Roy pulled the squad up. The guys and Ashley started working on the engine, while Johnny and Roy started washing the squad. They had just finished rinsing both vehicles when a car pulled up into the drive, blocking the exit.

"Hey, you can't park there," Captain Stanley said, moving toward the car.

Two Hispanic men stepped out, Ashley immediately recognized them as Clanton 14 members because of the C-14 tattoos prominently displayed on their arms. She stepped over near Johnny. "Those guys are from Clanton 14," she whispered.

The men ignored Captain Stanley, moving instead toward Marco, who had stepped a few feet in front of the engine. "Hola, Marco," one of them said, his voice anything but friendly.

"I told you, you can't park there," Captain Stanley said again, moving closer to the men.

The younger man pulled out a knife and pointed it at Captain Stanley.

"This ain't about you," the one holding the knife said to Captain Stanley.

Mile looked over to make sure Ashley was safe, but Johnny had already moved her behind him, putting his body between her and danger.

"Jose wants to see you, now," The gang member holding the knife said to Marco.

"Well I don't want see him," Marco retorted.

"No one leaves Clanton 14," the other gang member said. "They certainly don't punk out and live."

The younger man moved the knife, pointing it at Marco.

Chet and Roy adjusted their positions slightly to block the men's view of Mike. Chet was still holding the inch and a half line from rinsing the engine. Mike pulled the handle and adjusted the knob to charge the line. Captain Stanley, seeing what they were doing, moved back slightly, giving Chet a direct line to the two gang members.

"You tell Jose, I'm out; and nothin' you say's gonna change that," Marco said, his tone terse.

"You're comin'; don't matter to me none if we've gotta cut you up to get you there."

Chet hit them both with a full stream of water, knocking them both to the ground. Roy moved and grabbed the knife, Captain Stanley grabbed hold of the younger man, while Mike and Johnny secured the larger man.

Ashley ran back into the day room to call the police.

After the police officers had loaded the two gang members into the squad car and taken statements from all of them, the crew filtered back into the day room.

Captain Stanley put a hand on Marco's arm. "Marco, who were those men?"

Marco looked at Captain Stanley and then over at Ashley. "It's nothin', Cap."

"Marco," Captain Stanley said, his voice exasperated. "I'm not a moron. Those are gang members from Clanton 14, they obviously knew you and felt you were somehow indebted to them."

"I've never seen them before," Marco hedged.

"But, you knew Jose and Marisol," Ashley chimed in.

Marco shot her a look of annoyance.

"Who are Jose and Marisol?" Captain Stanley asked Marco. When Marco didn't answer, he looked to Ashley.

"Two members from Clanton 14, we ran into at 116s. They knew Marco, the guy Jose was older than the two that were here today. And he looked to be a leader."

"Ashley," Marco glared at her.

"Maybe Captain Stanley can help," Ashley pleaded with Marco.

"No one can help, just…," Marco's sentence was left unfinished, as the tones sounded calling the station out to a house fire.

E

Johnny and Roy quickly donned turnouts and air masks and moved into the home. Ashley set up a triage area and moved to stand near Mike. Marco, Chet, Johnny and Roy were entering the burning structure. Captain Stanley was on the radio directing additional incoming engines. The houses in the development were close together and the fire was starting to spread to the adjacent houses on each side of the initial fire.

"Good job with the hose this morning," Ashley said to Mike, while scanning the area. She was watching neighbors come out of the adjoining houses, piled down with personal belongings. Ashley shook her head. "When will people learn to just evacuate. Stuff can be replaced."

Mike just shook his head, knowing he had seen far crazier things in his time on the job. "You did good staying behind Johnny this morning."

"Like I had a choice. I swear he probably gave me a bruise with how hard he grabbed me," Ashley smiled, remembering how quickly Johnny had moved to protect her. She liked being independent and wanted to be treated equally, but she had to admit, it felt very good to be protected; especially by a guy she liked.

"I don't want you going to Marco's for any Spanish lessons until all this calms down," Mike said, making an adjustment to the gauges.

"What? Why?"

"Ashley, they came to the station looking for him. If they don't already know where he lives, they will. I don't want you caught in the middle of any confrontations," Mike told her.

"Mike, I'm a grown woman, I don't need you telling me where I can go," Ashley said, feeling exasperated. She and Mike had known each other when they were younger and due to circumstances from their past, she knew he felt obligated to watch out for her, but she was starting to feel suffocated.

He frowned at her. "I'm just trying to keep you safe. You don't have any experience with gang members."

"I can keep myself safe. I may not have gang experience, but I'm not completely naïve you know."

"Just steer clear of Marco's house for now," Mike said.

Ashley knew Mike was only giving her about 1% of his attention, he was focused on making sure the guys in the burning home had the appropriate pressure in the line. She decided she would talk to him later about his suffocating her with his need to protect her.

The men worked for another half hour and then the teams slowly starting exiting the house. Johnny and Roy moved over to the squad, removing their helmets and air masks. Ashley moved over to help take equipment and put it away. She pulled the canteen out of the squad and got them both to drink some water.

"You remember this when you're a fire fighter," Roy said, taking another drink. "You're great about making sure we re-hydrate, make sure you remember that."

Ashley smiled over at him.

Johnny looked over at the engine. Marco had taken off his gear and was standing away from Chet and the Captain, scanning the area. Johnny took a moment to scan the cars nearby to see if Marco saw anything, or was just looking for trouble, after what had happened this morning.

Marco saw Johnny watching him and moved to the other side of the engine. _Great, he thought, the last thing I need is Gage getting involved in this._

The firemen cleaned up the area and returned the station. Captain Stanley had assigned everyone to training exercises for the afternoon. They were doing a series of timed drills; as she had been for the last few months, Ashley would also be participating. The first drill was getting into full gear, including air tank and mask. Two men would compete against each other. Johnny and Roy competed against each other, with Johnny winning, by just a few seconds. Next, Captain Stanley arranged for Mike and Chet to compete. No one was surprised when Mike easily beat Chet. Ashley and Marco competed next. In reality, Marco should have won, he had when they'd been teamed in the past. This time though, Ashley was finishing slipping on her helmet, when Marco had just got his air tank strapped on.

Captain Stanley frowned, knowing that something must be bothering Marco for him to be so far off on his timing. That meant the situation with the C-14 gang was starting to impair his work. Ashley and Mike competed against each other next, with Mike beating Ashley, but only by a strap. Meaning he was literally just getting his helmet strap under his chin as she grabbed hers to pull it down.

As Ashley and Mike stripped off the gear, Johnny moved next to Mike to get ready to compete. Captain Stanley touched Marco's arm and jerked his head toward his office. Marco dropped his head and moved with him.

Captain Stanley closed his door and pointed to the chair opposite his desk. "Have a seat, Marco."

Marco sat down and waited for Captain Stanley to speak.

"Marco, look, I respect a guy's right to privacy; but whatever went on at 116 and then again this morning, is affecting your performance, pal."

Marco dropped his head.

"Maybe you should try talking to me," Captain Stanley said. "Maybe I can help."

"It was just a stupid exercise," Marco mumbled.

"Marco," Captain Stanley started to try a different track.

"Didn't I do a good job on the house fire today? Do you think I'm putting my co-workers or the citizens in jeopardy? Are you taking me off service?" Marco fired questions at his Captain.

"No, Marco. I'm not taking you off service and you did fine at the fire today."

"Then I'm entitled to my privacy, Cap. Nothing that's gone on has affected anyone else, just me."

"Those guys this morning, could've had a gun, instead of a knife, Marco."

"But, they didn't. This isn't anyone else's business," Marco said, his voice rising and he stood up. "Either remove me from service, or let me get back to work." Marco crossed his arms over his chest.

Captain Stanley stood up and faced his senior linesman. He had never seen Marco lose his temper before, but there was no denying it. Marco's face was red and he had a vein throbbing in his forehead. "I can't make you share what's going on with me Marco. But, I won't let you put yourself, or any other men in jeopardy. At the first sign this is impairing your judgement on a scene, I will pull you off duty."

"Yes, sir," Marco said shortly and exited the Captain office. He listened as the men cheered on Mike in the drill, but he didn't join them. Marco walked into the locker room and stared at himself in the mirror. He saw a different man than he had seen just a week ago. This one was haunted by a past, he had desperately tried to forget.

E

Marco could feel the smoke burning his throat. He tried to see around him, but his vision was being blurred by the smoke. He could feel the panic in his chest. He knew Rico was going to die, if he didn't find him soon. He turned to his left again, checking yet another room in the abandoned hotel. He wasn't even sure he was on the right floor anymore. This was his fault, he could feel the weight of that on his shoulders, weighing down his steps. He could hear the flames roaring as they devoured the old wood. "Rico!" His voice was barely reaching his own ears. Sounds of screaming suddenly filled his ears. Not from Rico, but from Marisol. Marco found himself standing in a parking lot, puddles of water glowing red from the flashing lights of the fire engines. Marco blinked and Marisol was standing in front of him. She was covered in blood.

Marco gasped, bolting upright in bed. He gulped air, feeling all the muscles in his body trembling. Marco blinked a few times and looked around the dorm. Chet was sleeping across from him. In the next aisle Roy and Johnny were sound asleep. There was enough light that Marco could see Johnny's arm draped over his face, but not much else. He knew that Mike was on the other side of the wall from him and Captain Stanley mirroring Mike on the other side of the aisle. On the other side of the wall from Johnny would be Ashley.

Marco quietly eased his legs off the bed and slipped his feet into his boots, pulling up his bunkers, he slipped the suspenders over his shoulders and moved into the locker room as he had the other night. He splashed cold water on his face and briefly looked into the mirror. Haunted eyes stared back at him. Marco closed his eyes and the image of Marisol covered in blood filled his vision again. His eyes popped open and his pulse rate increased, even faster than it already was.

Marco moved into the kitchen, taking a glass out of the cabinet. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out the orange juice. He closed the door and nearly jumped out of his skin to see Chet standing there.

"Don't start," Marco said.

"Hey, man, I just woke up and needed a drink," Chet said, reaching for the orange juice.

"Yeah, right," Marco said, moving toward the table.

Chet took his time pouring a glass of orange juice and went to sit across from Marco. His blue eyes, meeting Marco's stare.

"Look, Marco," Chet began.

"Drop it, Chet."

"When Ashley tried to kill herself, you were the one that talked the rest of us into waiting for the squad to get back and to go to the hospital. Captain Stanley was dead set against it. He was still furious with her for going into that burning building after Gage. You sat the two of us down, and do you remember what you said?" Chet asked.

Marco shrugged.

"You told us that we prided ourselves on being a family, but if we didn't help the one that had just got knocked down, we were nothing more than phonies. You said Ashley had obviously needed help and hadn't known how to ask for it; but it was our job, as her brothers, to be there, even when she didn't want us to be. Do you remember that?"

Marco shrugged again.

"We're your brothers, Marco. We're gonna be there whether you want us there or not. You might as well make it easy on us and just tell us what we're up against," Chet reasoned.

"Cause we're all goin' up against it, whether we know what it is, or not," Mike said, dropping into the chair next to Marco.

"But, we'll be better prepared," Roy said, moving over next to Chet.

"If you tell us what's going on," Johnny said, finishing Roy's sentence. He pulled out the chair on the other side of Marco. He sat on the back of the chair, his feet on the seat.

"Or, we can just go digging into things ourselves, trying to find out the truth," Ashley suggested. She placed her hand on Marco's shoulder.

"You stay away from that area," Marco said, looking up at her.

"You know she won't," Johnny said. "You should tell us, just to keep her out of trouble."

Marco looked at the faces around the table. He was both humbled and upset by their presence. It felt good to know these men cared for him, as much as he cared for them. But, he didn't want them getting hurt and he knew from past experiences that Jose and his followers weren't worried about who they hurt to achieve what they wanted.

Marco dropped his head. As he raised it, he was shaking it side to side. "It's too dangerous," he said.

"Then we'll get the police involved, if we need too," Captain Stanley said. The group looked over to see him leaning in the doorway. "I've worked really hard the last few months to help Ashley understand she can trust me," Captain Stanley said, shaking his head. "I didn't know I needed to prove it to you too, Lopez."

"Oh, Cap, it isn't that I don't trust you," Marco said. He ran his hand through his hair. "This isn't about you guys. It's about them, and what they'll do to you. Have done. I got myself into the mess. I tried to take the easy way out and now it's comin' back to bite me. I don't want to get any of you caught up in this mess," Marco pushed away from the table and began to pace.

"This is my fault! I caused it in the choices I made and then rather than be a man and face the consequences for my actions," Marco paused, looking at his brothers. Would they still be there for him when they learned he was a coward? "Instead of facing the consequences for my actions, I ran, like a scared little girl."

"I object to that picture reference," Ashley said.

"Sorry," Marco said, but he couldn't help the small grin.

"I'm sure it's not as bad as you think, Marco," Mike said. "Remember how much I'd been tearing myself up over what happened with Maddie. You guys stood by me through all that." Mike locked his gaze on Marco. "And no one treats me any different than they did before they found out about my past."

"Mike, I get what you're saying, but the situation with Maddie really was just a terrible accident. I know you felt guilty, but my situation is different. I intentionally made the choices that led to this situation. I knew what I was getting myself into."

"Why don't you start at the beginning Marco and just tell us what happened?" Captain Stanley suggested, joining the guys at the table.

"I'll start the coffee," Ashley said, moving toward the stove.

Marco took a deep breath and looked at the group. He opened his mouth, not sure where he was going to start, but the only sound that filled the room was the sound of the klaxons going off.

"Station 51, MVA on Harbor Freeway, enter at exit 80, go North about ¾ mile."

The sound of chairs scrapping across the floor and feet moving across the floor filled the room.

"Station 51, KMG 365," Captain Stanley responded.

The men climbed onto the engine, as Johnny, Roy and Ashley piled into the squad. The lights of both vehicles switched on as the bay doors raised and the sound of sirens filled the night air.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time the men got back to the station; B shift was arriving. There had been two fatalities in the accident and everyone was feeling the weight of the call. Ashley slipped into the day room to make a phone call; while the men filed into the locker room to change into street clothes.

Mike was the first one out and he joined Ashley. "I called The Breakfast Club, Artemis will hold the back room for us. We can't let Marco just leave and not open up to us."

Mike nodded. "I'll gather all the guys and make sure Marco agrees to join us."

Johnny and Roy entered the day room. "Marco and Chet are almost done," Roy told her. Ashley moved into the bay, so she could quickly change when it was her turn.

"Ashley called Artemis. She's holding the back room for us," Mike told them.

Roy nodded. "I'm gonna go call Joanne; let her know I'm gonna be late." Roy moved over to the phone at the end of the room, fishing change out of his pocket.

Johnny looked at Mike. Now probably wasn't the time to talk to him about Ashley, but Johnny really wanted to address it. It was after shifts like this, when the fragileness of life was so evident, he most wished he and Ashley could cross the line between friends and lovers.

"Mike."

"Here comes Chet and Marco," Mike said, standing up straighter.

"Marco, Ashley's arranged for us to have the back room at The Breakfast Club. Let's go over there and you can tell us what's goin' on," Mike said.

Marco leaned against the wall. "It's been a long night, let's just forget it."

"No, Marco. This is too important," Captain Stanley said, walking up behind him.

"I'm ready," Ashley popped her head in behind Captain Stanley.

The men started to move toward the parking lot exit. Ashley touched Johnny's arm. "Since we're supposed to go hiking this afternoon, do you mind if I just ride with you? I can get my car when we come back."

Mike turned and looked at Johnny, a frown on his face. Johnny looked over Ashley's shoulder at Mike and then down at Ashley. "Actually, I'm pretty beat and I have a feeling this conversation's gonna be tough. Why don't we postpone hiking for another time?"

"Oh, okay," Ashley said, a little disappointed. It had been a tough shift and she'd been looking forward to some time away with Johnny. She knew Captain Stanley said they couldn't date while she was at the Station, but that hadn't stopped them from spending time together as friends.

Mike nodded his approval to Johnny and got into his truck. Chet pulled out first and the rest of the 51 family followed him to their favorite breakfast spot.

E

"Hi, Artemis," Johnny hugged the stout, older woman as he walked into the restaurant.

"Oh, Johnny, you are so thin! You need to come by more often, so I can feed you," She placed both hands over his cheeks, squeezing his face. She smiled at Ashley, who walked in directly behind Johnny. "Or better yet, marry this pretty young thing and let her take care of you." Artemis reached out for Ashley, pulling her into a hug.

"The last thing Ashley needs to worry about is getting married," Mike said, coming in behind her. "She needs to focus on doing well at the academy."

Ashley looked at him, surprised by how stern his tone was.

"Ahh, my Mikey," Artemis said. "Always so serious. I thought that lovely lady of yours would've helped loosen you up a bit by now," Artemis pulled him close, kissing him on the cheek. "Where is Tina this morning?"

"Working," Mike smiled.

"Marco, so handsome, but, oh, what is this, so solemn today. Where is my smile?" Artemis took hold of Marco's arms and searched his face.

"Morning," Marco said quietly, but he moved to kiss Artemis on the cheek.

"Chester, where is my hug!" Artemis held her arms out. Chet gave her a big hug and moved his face to tickle her cheek with his mustache. "Oh, you are such a flirty boy," Artemis laughed, swatting at his arm.

"My favorite leader," Artemis smiled, when she saw Captain Stanley enter through the door.

He moved over, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "How's my favorite Greek goddess?" Captain Stanley asked.

"Now that my favorite fire team is here, so very happy. Come, let's get you eating! Forget the menus, I will bring you the feast you deserve," Artemis led the way to the back room, motioning for two of her waitresses to follow. Coffee cups were filled and several bowls of breads with jam were placed on the table. The men started grabbing up the food.

The guys kept the conversation light and casual until the breakfast food had been served and everyone had dished up plates. Then there were several minutes of silence as everyone devoured the amazing food selections.

As their hunger was satisfied, they started to lean back and look at Marco. He kept his head down and his focus on his plate for as long as he could, but finally he gave in and looked up at his friends.

"I'm not even sure where to start," Marco said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Just start at the beginning, Marco," Captain Stanley said.

"I'm not even sure where the beginning is," Marco said.

"Were you a member of the Clanton 14 gang?" Ashley asked.

Marco took a deep breath. "You've got to understand the neighborhood is probably nothing like any of you ever lived in. We had the Clanton 14 gang, and the 18th Street gang, which started from a sect of the Clanton 14 gang, so there was a huge rivalry. The Mexican Mafia had just formed a few years before and gangs were either pledging their allegiance to the Mexican Mafia or looking to overthrow them. You were either in a gang, or you were a target, without any protection. At least as a gang member, some people were trying to protect you. Without that gang protection, you couldn't leave your house to walk to school. Every kid on my block was a gang member; I pledged my loyalty to C14."

Marco shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "Had it stopped there, I probably wouldn't be in this mess. You could be in a gang, and not really do much gang activity. You might have to pull some stuff, get in some fights, but you could keep a low profile. But, my best friend Rico, he wasn't happy just being a scrap."

"What's a scrap?" Captain Stanley asked.

"It's a derogatory term used by the gang for other members," Marco explained. "Rico saw how much money the elders in the group were making, and what he viewed as respect when they walked down the street. His familia was poorer than mine, I mean we didn't have much, but they had nothin'. Rico started trying to work his way up in the gang, trying to get noticed. He wanted me to work up with him."

Marco pushed away from the table, and started to pace around the small room. "I knew better! I knew that was not the direction I wanted to take. But, I followed along. Pretty soon, we were being given assignments. Not much a first, some petty larceny, beating up members of rival gangs who'd targeted some of our members. But, stuff I knew I shouldn't be doing. Stuff, deep down, I didn't want to do," Marco ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't understand, why'd ya do it then?" Johnny asked.

Marco looked at him, looked at the group sitting at the table. How could these men possibly understand? "Respect, power, prestige, money, girls," Marco listed off the things that came with seniority in the gang.

Marco shook his head, "No. I was just stupid. I was 14 when I got started with the gang and just barely 16 when I left. We were nobodies. You'd walk down the street and people would push ya around, treat you like you didn't belong, talk down to you. We were the trash that crossed over the border, even though I was born here, people would call me a Taco-Jockey or a Grasshopper," Marco felt the bile in his throat, as he remembered some of the ways he'd been treated as a child.

"A grasshopper?" Ashley asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Because we jump over fences."

"I don't get it," Ashley said, shaking her head, confused on how that was relevant. "Didn't all kids jump fences when they're little?"

"Cross the border illegally," Marco explained with a smile. He loved that she would never think of someone like that.

"Oh." Ashley felt tears sting her eyes, as she envisioned the way Marco was treated as a child. Johnny just nodded his head. He'd heard his share of derogatory terms, growing up on an Indian reservation as a half-breed, he'd been anything, but popular.

"As we moved up in the ranks, we became Cholo's, a Mexican gangster. People started to respect us. Actually, people started to fear us, but we viewed that as respect. We started getting money, with money comes girls. A lot of girls. The girls in the neighborhood needed the protection of the gangs, in some cases, even more than the boys. Being the girl of a Cholo, brought you protection, but the cost was your freedom. Your "man" owned you, and some of those guys, a lot of those guys, were brutal to their girlfriends," Marco sat back down.

"Eventually, the price for our position got higher. First, you start getting newbies trying to test your rank, so we had to fight a lot more, and be even more brutal. It wasn't enough anymore to just hit them more than they hit you. You had to break bones, knock them unconscious. If an ambulance wasn't called, the fight wasn't over. But, the senior members wanted you to prove your worth, prove your loyalty," Marco looked down at his hands, remembering the violence they had once carried out.

When Marco had been silent for a few minutes, Captain Stanley cleared his throat. "Ahem, what happened Marco. How'd you get out?"

"I didn't, but to understand that, you need to know about my last night with C-14."

"What happened that night?" Mike asked, when Marco remained silent.

"The 18th street gang, hit our neighborhood, bad. Back then, drive by shootings, just didn't happen. But, Jorge was an 18th street big shot, that thought he was gonna take down C-14. He got some Cholos to drive by the hang-out and shoot the place up. A lot of people were seriously injured, some died. Rico and I were given the order to kill Jorge. That was our assignment to stay in the gang. Don't do it, and we'd be killed for disobeying. Do it, and we'd ascend to a higher rank," Marco swallowed hard, images from that night flashing through his brain. He could see Marisol crying, cowering in the shadows. The anger in Rico's eyes as friends were loaded on stretchers, or covered in sheets. He could smell the gun powder and blood. His hand shook, as he reached for his coffee cup.

He held the warm cup for several minutes, slowly drinking in the hot liquid and letting it warm him from the inside. He felt chilled to the bone. "When Rico and I got away from the group, I told him I wasn't gonna kill anyone. Rico tried to tell me that we had to, that it was self-defense. When he realized I wasn't buying that argument, he started to curse at me. He called me every name he could think of. Finally, he told me I was a traitor and that I'd better hide, because when Clanton 14 was done with Jorge, they'd be comin' after me."

"At first I left. But, I knew I couldn't let Rico kill someone. He was so wrapped up in it, he was losing himself, but he wasn't a murderer. And I knew he wasn't. I heard through the grapevine he and Jose had grabbed Jorge and taken him to an abandoned hotel. At the time, Jose was just comin' up in the ranks too. He was actually a little under Rico and I. I went to the hotel and was tryin' to find 'em. It was dark and there were a lot of rooms. I didn't even know what I was gonna do when I found 'em. I knew they'd be armed and I wasn't carrying," Marco's voice had grown tight, his words clipped and fast.

"I finally heard voices on the third floor. Rico and Jose were arguing. Rico had obviously come to his senses and was saying he couldn't kill Jorge. Jose was screaming at him, that he had to, or he'd be killed too. I burst into the room and a fight broke out. Rico was holding the gun, and Jose tried to take it from him. I jumped Jose, but he was bigger than me, he had me pinned pretty quick. Rico put down the gun, to help me. We knocked over the oil lamp they'd been using for light, it caught the papers on the floor on fire. In the chaos of the fire, Jose got the gun. He shot Rico in the leg. Jose and I began to struggle for the gun. Rico took off, trying to get away. I managed to get the gun away from Jose and threw it out the window. But then Jose hit me good and I lost consciousness for several seconds. When I came too, I couldn't find Rico or Jose. The fire was spreading fast, but I tried to look for Rico. I kept calling his name, but the fire was so loud," Marco closed his eyes, no matter how many fires he'd been in since, he could still feel the way his eyes and throat burned from that fire.

"I'm not even sure how I got out. I remember stumbling into the parking lot and Marisol was there. She was Rico's kid sister and hung with us constantly. We were her protection. She was asking me over and over again where he was. The fire trucks and police were on scene, the lights reflecting in the puddles on the concrete. She started screaming his name. I had to hold her back to keep her from running into the building. Then she started screaming my name. When I looked at her, she was covered in blood. I couldn't figure it out, until I hit the concrete and realized she was screaming that I'd been shot," Marco ran a hand over his left shoulder, where he still carried the scar from the bullet. "The gun must've gone off when Jose and I were fighting over it. I never even knew."

"The next thing I remember, is when I woke up in the hospital, a couple of days later. After conversations with the police, my parents decided the best course of action was to let everyone believe I died as a result of my injuries. I was sent to live with my Grandmother in Fresno. I finished high school, got accepted into the Fire Academy and joined the fire department. I've avoided working in any of the areas where C-14 runs, to avoid the possibility that anyone would recognize me."

"What happened to Rico?" Chet asked.

"The police found him in the apartment building. Jose must've found him. He'd slit his throat," Marco said quietly, looking down at the coffee cup.

"Then why isn't he in jail?" Ashley asked.

"Because no one can prove it," Roy answered for Marco.

"Exactamente," Marco said.

"What about Jorge?" Ashley asked.

"He died in the fire. They'd left him tied up in another room from where I found Jose and Rico arguing. I never even saw him. That's another death I carry on my conscience."

"Marco, you were just a kid," Mike said. "You weren't any older than I was when everything happened with Maddie."

"But, I made these choices, Mike. I willingly joined the gang, stayed in it 2 years. I willingly committed illegal and violent acts to move up. I willingly ran away to my grandmothers, without facing the gang, to avoid the consequences of my actions. I knowingly went back into that area."

"I don't think you joined the gang willingly, Marco. Sounds to me like there weren't a lot of other options. I didn't really have gangs where I grew up, but I served with some guys in Vietnam who had gang connections. I've heard some stories of the ones who resisted joining," Roy reasoned.

Ashley was looking down at her plate. Her mind reeling from everything Marco had told them. She would have never guessed that would be his past.

"You were just sticking with your buddy. We've all made bad choices because of influences from the wrong people," Chet said, thinking about stupid stuff he'd done in the past.

"You made the only choice you could. Sometimes leaving is the best answer, if not the only answer," Johnny said, understanding the position Marco had been in, only too well.

"You've more than proven yourself, Marco. Your service with the fire department has been exemplary," Captain Stanley pointed out.

Marco looked over at Ashley. She was still looking down at her plate. "Ash, are you disappointed in me?"

Ashley looked up with tears in her eyes. She got up from her seat and moved over to Marco. He stood and she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a hug. When she pulled back, she looked into his eyes. "I'm hardly one to judge anyone for the choices they make, Marco. I nearly cost Johnny his life, almost took my own. I understand more than most about just trying to survive circumstances you have no control over. Some of the stuff I did to survive the foster homes I was in," Ashley paused. "Let's just say I wouldn't want to talk about them. I admire your strength in telling us your past. You know we will all stand behind you. The only question now is; how do we fix it?"

The men looked at each other. Each one trying to think of something helpful.

"This is not a situation that is easily solved. I think we should think on it and we can discuss it at our next shift. In the meantime, Marco, you make sure you're aware of your surroundings. I'm gonna call Lieutenant Crockett as soon as I get home and update him on the information we have. They can increase patrols near your home until this is resolved," Captain Stanley said, standing up.

The men followed suit, each dropping money on the table. Artemis often told them their meal was "on her". The guys had stopped asking for a check and now just dropped enough money to cover the meal and provide the waitresses a generous tip. If Artemis wanted to let her waitresses have all the money, that was between her and her staff. The guys gave Artemis a wave as they made their way out of the restaurant and too the parking lot.

Ashley gave Johnny one last look and got in her car to go home.

Johnny watched her drive away and turned to talk to Mike, but he was already getting in his truck. Feeling heavy-hearted, Johnny climbed in his Rover and headed home.

E

Marco pulled into his driveway and sat for a few minutes. He felt like he'd just played back to back to back soccer games and lost all of them. He slowly got out of his car and moved toward his porch. He stopped when he saw a figure on his porch, rise and stand.

"Hola, Marco," she said softly.

Marco looked around nervously.

"Don't worry, I'm alone," Marisol said.

Marco continued to look around. "Are you sure Jose didn't follow you?"

Marisol gave a small smile. "I've proven my loyalty to C-14, I'm not followed."

Marco moved to unlock his door. Marisol followed him into his home.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Marco asked, turning to face her.

"No, thank you. I can't stay long."

Marco motioned for her to have a seat on the couch. He sat in a recliner chair across from her.

She looked around his living room. Pictures of his family and the semi-pro soccer team he belonged to were displayed on the bookcase. There were also pictures of Marco scoring a goal and on the slopes in Lake Tahoe. She clasped her hands nervously in her lap; the pictures reminding her that she no longer knew the man in front of her.

"I came to apologize. I didn't mean to draw Jose's attention to you. I was just so surprised when I saw you. I thought you died," Marisol paused briefly, "like Rico," she said softly.

"Marisol, I'm so sorry about your brother. But, why are you back with C-14? I'd been told your family moved and got you away from all of this," Marco leaned forward.

"To another gang infested area. This is what I know, Marco. I'm safe here. Jose protects me," Marisol said.

"Jose killed Rico, how can you stand to be near him?" Marco asked, stunned by her statement.

"Jose says you killed Rico," Marisol said quietly, looking at the man across from her, who had escaped a life that seemed unescapable.

"Marisol, you know me. You know Rico was my best friend. I could've never killed him."

"I didn't come here to talk about Rico, Marco," Marisol said, her voice agitated. "I came here to tell you that you're in danger. Jose is determined to kill you. You need to get out of the area, Marco. He knows where you work, it will only be a matter of time before he finds out where you live."

"I'm not running, Marisol. That's what I did last time and look where it got me," Marco said, standing up and pacing in his living room. "I have a good life. I'm not going to give it up."

"Then you may lose it," Marisol said, she stood and moved across the room. She stopped to look at a picture of Marco with all the men of Station 51 standing in front of the Engine at what appeared to be a parade. All the men were smiling and looked very relaxed.

Marco ran his hand along the back of his neck. "I have too much here to lose. I'll think of something."

"You may have a bit of time. Word on the street says C-14 has a snitch in its ranks. Jose will have to deal with that, before he can risk having anyone deal with you. He won't want to kill you himself, too much risk," Marisol spoke as she still looked at his many pictures. She could see what he was talking about, he had a good life, good friends.

"Why did you come here?" Marco asked her, moving closer to her.

"I told you, to apologize. I feel bad Jose noticed you because I called out to you." Marisol turned to face him and clasped her hands in front of her.

"You've grown into a beautiful woman," Marco said, looking her over. "You should be married, living in a nice house with a white picket fence somewhere, raising ninos of your own."

"Some things are not meant to be," Marisol said quietly.

"You don't have to be where you are," Marco said. "You have nothing keeping you here."

"Marco, you don't know me. You knew the girl that tagged along after you and Rico; I am not that girl anymore."

"You're not a Cholo's girl, Marisol. I know that, I can see that. I can hear it; in the way you talk."

"I belong to Jose," Marisol said quietly.

'What? Why him, Marisol? I know what kind of a man he is, he isn't a man, he's a thug," Marco said, his voice rising.

"I'm here out of respect for the relationship you had with my brother, Marco. If you saw me on the street, this would not be so civilized. Leave while you can, Marco. This is the only warning you'll get," Marisol moved past him, toward the door.

"There's something you're not telling me," Marco said, grabbing her arm to stop her.

Marisol turned and looked into his deep brown eyes. She had such a crush on him when she was a young girl; she'd been devastated when her parents had told her Marco had died. She'd lost so much that night.

Marisol raised her hand and gently stroked Marco's cheek. "Muchas cosas, Marco, so many things."

E

Tina used her foot to knock on the door, her hands loaded down with bags of take-out.

Mike opened the door and quickly began to grab bags out of her hands. "Why didn't you just come up? I'd have gone down and got the food to carry in," Mike asked.

"I could handle it, I just couldn't figure out how to knock on the door politely," Tina smiled, as she leaned over to give Mike a quick kiss on the lips. She tilted her head as she looked into his eyes, she instantly knew he had a rough shift.

She followed him through the apartment toward the dining room table. As he dropped the bags of food on the table, she moved into the kitchen to grab plates and silverware.

"What would you like to drink?" Mike asked, moving to get glasses.

"I'll just take water for now," Tina said. She began to dish the plates with food she knew Mike liked to eat.

He carried over the glasses, but she stopped him before he sat down. She wrapped her arms around his waist and just held him in a tight embrace. It took several seconds, but he felt himself start to relax and he dropped his head to rest on the top of her head, closing his eyes. She pulled back, her dark eyes searching his blue ones. She raised her hand to touch his cheek, "Rough shift?"

"In so many ways," Mike said, with a sigh. He sat down at the table. "Can we talk about it after we eat?"

"Of course," Tina smiled at him and sat down in her chair.

"How was your day?" Mike asked. Tina worked as a psychiatric nurse at Rampart Hospital and her days could sometimes be as difficult as his.

Tina smiled, there were some days when the bad just needed to stay at work; today was one of them. Mike didn't need to be burdened with the new patient that had been physically aggressive with her, not today anyway. Security had intervened and she would fill him in later, when the tightness around his eyes wasn't so evident. "It was fine. We have a couple of patients that will most likely be discharged over the next week. We have one young girl, who finally, spoke to me today; it's a huge step. She witnessed a terrible event and hasn't spoken to anyone in a month. Today, she told me she liked my earrings. I wore them just for her," Tina pulled her hair back so Mike could see the dangling fish earrings.

"You'll do anything to try to reach your patients, won't you?" Mike teased her.

"Well, almost anything," Tina smiled.

Mike reached over and put his hand on top of Tina's. He knew there was more she wasn't sharing, but he didn't push her. It usually meant he would be upset by it and she didn't feel he needed to worry about it right then. He had learned he could trust her judgement. She watched out for him to make sure he wasn't distracted worrying about her on the job; but she didn't hide things from him either. She just chose when to share some information. He was incredibly grateful for that today. He honestly didn't think he could handle one more thing today.

When they'd finished eating, Tina talked Mike into going to sit on the couch. She cleaned up the dishes and put the remaining food in the fridge. Mike was laying down on the couch, when she walked back over. He opened his arms and she climbed into his arms, resting her head on his chest. She let her eyes close as she listened to the reassuring beat of his heart and felt his strong arms wrap around her. She snuggled in a little closer, maybe the patient encounter today had bothered her even more than she had wanted to admit to herself. She could feel herself relax as her body accepted she was safe in Mike's arms.

"You sure you don't want to talk about it," Mike whispered, hearing her soft sigh as she snuggled up against him.

Tina smiled. Of course, Mike knew there was more. He was very observant and he could read her well.

"Why don't you tell me about your day," Tina said, letting her fingers undo the buttons on his shirt, so she could stroke his chest and abdomen.

Mike sighed with pleasure as he closed his eyes, enjoying her touch. "We got called out around 3:00 AM for a multi-vehicle accident. Two people died at the scene. I know Johnny and Roy tried so hard to keep them alive, but their injuries were just too bad."

"I'm sorry," Tina whispered, lifting her head to place a kiss on Mike's neck.

"I wish that was the worst of it," Mike said, tightening his hold on Tina.

"Marco covered for a guy over at 116 recently. While there, he had a run in with members of the Clanton 14 gang. Turns out, Marco used to be a member. A couple of guys came by the station and tried to cause some trouble. I'm not sure what Marco's gonna do, the leader wants to see him. I can't see this ending good and I'm not sure how to fix it."

"Marco used to be a gang member?" Tina propped herself up, so she could look at Mike.

"Yeah, apparently he'd moved up pretty far in the gang; but when they wanted him to kill someone he bailed."

Tina shook her head. She'd had a few gang members on the psychiatric unit. They were usually violent, mean and downright vulgar. She had trouble picturing Marco associated with those men. "It must've been a very long time ago."

"Fifteen years," Mike answered.

Tina laid her head back on Mike's chest, but said nothing. She was worried for Marco. She'd heard enough from the few patients she'd met to know things could go very badly.

"Then, I had to talk to Johnny about not asking Ashley out. He honestly tried to tell me that Ashley was different. As if I haven't heard that a 100 times before from him."

"You what?" Tina pulled herself up, and moved away from Mike to sit on the end of the couch.

"What?"

"You told Johnny not to ask Ashley out? Why would you do that? They're crazy about each other," Tina looked dumbfounded.

"Tina, she got into the fire academy. She needs to focus on her training," Mike said, sitting up.

"What, she can't handle training and a relationship? None of the guys have relationships when they go through the academy, or only a woman can't handle it?" Tina crossed her arms over her chest.

"She's the first woman to go to the academy," Mike said, defensively. "This isn't a game. The guys here aren't going to be any happier about a female firefighter, than the ones in North Carolina were."

"All the more reason she needs someone she can lean on," Tina said.

"That isn't Gage! He is notorious for flitting from one woman to another. Ashley's just the current flavor of the week."

"You're wrong, Mike. All the nurses at Rampart are talking about it. Johnny hasn't asked anyone out in over 2 months. He spends all his time with Ashley. When she was on the psychiatric unit and she had me trick you both into going skydiving so you would talk; she told me to just ask him out and he'd go with me. I tried asking him out, he turned me down. I had to tell him her plan. Ashley thought it was because he was upset over you, but it was because he was already starting to fall for her. For Johnny, Ashley is different," Tina looked over at Mike.

"She needs to be focused on her training," Mike insisted.

"I think you're wrong on this one, Mike. I know Ashley really cares for Johnny too. How do you think she's gonna feel when she finds out you interfered?"

"Johnny won't tell her."

"So she's just going to think he stopped caring for her? You can't let that happen, Mike. You need to tell her what you did," Tina looked shocked at his comment.

"I'm doing what's best for her," Mike said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're trying to protect her again," Tina said, forcing herself to uncross her arms. "You've talked about this with Dr. Baker. You are not responsible for Ashley."

"I know what she's gonna face," Mike argued.

"Mike," Tina eased over close to him again. "When you've had a rough day, don't you like it when we can get together and be physically close." Tina caressed his cheek.

"You know I do," Mike said, keeping his arms crossed.

"If things are going to be as tough for Ashley as you think they are; don't you think she'd like being able to experience that closeness with Johnny?"

"Until Johnny moved on to the next pretty face," Mike said, standing up and moving across the room. "I know him better than you do."

"I know you do. I also know you don't believe for one second that Johnny would use Ashley."

"Of course not," Mike said. "He'd never deliberately try to hurt her. But, Johnny isn't exactly known for being good at relationships."

"You don't think he's a good friend?" Tina said, cocking her head.

"He's a great friend," Mike said, suddenly feeling the need to defend Johnny to her. "He's loyal and always there when you need him. When I called him to go get Ashley the night she'd been drinking at Flames, he agreed in a second. He stayed with us all night, and never once complained, or made me feel like I owed him."

"Ashley isn't just some pretty girl he's chasing. She's his friend first; but they want to take that friendship to another level. I think you know that for Johnny, Ashley is different; the question is, why does that bother you so much?" Tina asked, meeting his blue eyes.

"I don't have feelings for Ashley, if that's what you're trying to get at," Mike said, moving across the room to sit back down next to Tina. "She's like my kid sister."

"But, she's not a kid anymore," Tina said.

"Do you know if she's ever, I mean, Johnny's experienced, has Ashley ever," Mike shook his head. "Forget it. She just needs to concentrate on her training. When that's done…"

"She'll have to adjust to a station, and the issues she faces as the first woman fire fighter. How long do you expect her to wait to get into a relationship Mike?" Tina asked.

"Maybe when she's emotionally a little stronger," Mike said, getting up again and moving to lean against the wall and looking over at Tina. She was sitting on the couch, facing him. Her face calm; which made him feel even worse. He was rarely irrational, rarely ever out-of-control. But, he knew when it came to Ashley, his emotions frequently got the better of him. He still felt a strong need to protect her; even though deep down, he knew he didn't need to protect her from Johnny.

"I'll think about it," Mike said.

"It really isn't up to you Mike; and if Ashley finds out you interfered, it could damage your relationship. I strongly suggest you tell Johnny you made a mistake.

"I said, I'll think about it." Mike crossed his arms again.

Tina moved off the couch and crossed the room. She ran her fingers through his soft brown hair and took one finger and traced the outline of his left ear. She slowly leaned forward, over his crossed arms and kissed his neck, standing on her tiptoes to nibble his ear lobe.

Mike slid his arms around her waist and pulled her against his body. "I don't want to fight with you, Tina," he whispered, feeling the tension start to drain as Tina began to kiss his neck.

"I don't want to fight either; but I like Ashley. I consider her a friend. I don't want her to get hurt."

Mike put his finger under Tina's chin and tilted it up so he could lightly brush her lips with his. "I'll talk to Johnny," Mike said, kissing her a bit harder. "Tomorrow," he said, just before their lips locked in a passionate kiss. He took her hand and led her back toward the bedroom, needing to put this day behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, Ron, thanks for calling me back."

"Sorry, I missed you earlier, Hank. It's been crazy around here this week. The message I got from my secretary was there's a problem with Marco and the Clanton 14 street gang. Did she get that message wrong? I'm hoping she got that message wrong," Lieutenant Crockett leaned back in his chair, stretching the phone cord as far as it would go.

"No, unfortunately, she didn't get the message wrong," Hank said, he was sitting behind his desk at home. He watched as his oldest daughter peaked her head into this den. He held up his index finger, indicating he needed a minute.

She nodded and closed the door, to give him some privacy.

"I don't have all the details, and I don't want to cause Marco any issues now, but the bottom line is Marco used to belong to C-14. The gang believed he was killed in an incident back, 15 years ago now. But, they saw him when he was working over at Station 116. A couple of them showed up at our station yesterday and were trying to get him to go see some guy named Jose," Hank gave Ron a quick run-down of the events as he understood them.

Lieutenant Crockett pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew only too well who Jose was, and what could happen to Marco, if what Hank had just told him was correct. "Did they get Marco to go with them?"

"Ron, you know we're not gonna let that happen to one of our own," Hank said, surprised Ron would even ask.

"You're right, sorry, but Jose is bad news, Hank. This isn't something to play around with. I'll increase patrols around Marco's home and the station. We've been trying to take Jose down for a really long time, but he's smart. He keeps the young kids doing the major crimes because he knows they only face going to juvie; they aren't gonna get hard time, so they won't role over on him. It's gonna take someone on the inside to get the dirt we need on him."

"Do you have someone inside the gang, Ron?"

"That would be major crimes division, not my department."

"And even if you knew, you couldn't say," Hank said, a smile crossing his face.

"And even if I knew, I couldn't say," Ron confirmed.

E

"Where've ya been?" Jose barked as Marisol entered the apartment.

"I went to see my mother, why?" She asked, casually walking across the apartment to get a beer out of the fridge.

"Whatdya doin' leavin' at a time like this," Jose spat out as he stalked across the room and yanked the beer bottle out of her hand, slamming the refrigerator door closed.

Marisol looked at him for a few seconds, opened the fridge door and pulled out another beer. "Snitches aren't my territory," she said coolly, looking over at him.

The beer bottle hit the floor with a thud as Jose grabbed Marisol by the throat and shoved her against the wall. "Don't get smart with me Puta, until we flush out this traitor, it's EVERYONE'S first priority."

Marisol's hands clung to Jose's wrist trying to force him to let go of her neck, but the more she struggled the tighter he gripped her. Her vision started to go gray from the lack of oxygen. Marisol forced herself to relax and drop her hands to her side. Jose still waited several vital seconds before he released her. She dropped to her knees, sucking in oxygen.

Jose stood over her, looking down at her crumpled figure. "Don't ever think that my love for you will keep me from killing you, Marisol."

Jose looked over at Frank, who had just walked into the apartment. Frank nodded his head and Jose walked out of the apartment with him. Marisol slowly picked up the beer bottle from the floor and used the table to get herself off the ground. The room spun slightly, but stopped after a few seconds. Marisol reached for the bottle opener on the table and popped the top off the beer bottle. She took a long drink, trying to stop her hands from shaking. Jose rarely got violent with her, this issue with the snitch and Marco must really be pushing him to the edge. If he ever found out she'd gone to Marco's home, Marisol shuddered at the thought.

E

"Roy, do you think Johnny and Ashley would want to come to dinner?" Joanne called from the kitchen window.

Roy glanced up from his task of raking the yard. "Why?"

"There's a sale going on at Wards this weekend and I thought if they didn't mind keeping an eye on the kids we could go down and look at a new refrigerator?"

"Why would we want to buy a new fridge, Joanne," Roy sighed, knowing if she was suggesting buying a new appliance he wasn't going to like the answer. Joanne's motto was save today, save tomorrow.

"Because ours is obviously dead given the fact the 5 lbs of hamburger I had in the freezer is completely defrosted. Which is another good reason to have Johnny over for dinner," Joanne smiled at her husband.

Roy shook his head and sighed; could this week get any worse. "Why don't you give Ashley a call, and I'll call Johnny as soon as I'm done," Roy suggested, going back to raking the yard. He'd really been hoping to talk Joanne into a new lawn mower, one that had a bag to catch the grass clippings. They were coming down in price and if he could avoid the chore of raking after cutting the grass, the chore would take a lot less of his free time. If they had to buy a new fridge, he could forget that idea.

Joanne watched Roy and gave a small smile. She knew exactly what he was thinking. She picked up the phone and dialed Ashley's phone number. She answered on the second ring.

"Hi, Ashley, it's Joanne. Your idea worked great, can you and Johnny come over for dinner tonight? I told Roy the fridge went out and that we had to go to Wards and pick out a new one. He's gonna be so excited when he finds out we got him a new lawnmower. I hope he likes the model Johnny helped me pick out," Joanne said when Ashley answered the phone. She kept her gaze on Roy to make sure he didn't come into the house and overhear her conversation. This was her Father's Day present to him. She had debated it, since it was kind of the equivalent of him buying her a vacuum for Christmas, which got him put in the dog house two years ago. But, she knew he really wanted this.

"Um, I'm not sure about Johnny, Joanne, I haven't talked to him since we all left breakfast yesterday morning; but I can definitely come over and watch the kids while you guys go out," Ashley said. It was odd, she and Johnny usually talked every day, but he hadn't called her once in the last two days and he'd cancelled their plans to go hiking.

"Well to make my story work, I told Roy that the 5 lbs. of hamburger in the freezer had defrosted so I'm gonna have him grill hamburgers. I'll make fries and a salad. Why don't you plan to come over about 5:00 PM and I'll have Roy give Johnny a call," Joanne said. "I've got to go, Roy's on his way into the house."

Joanne hung up the phone and moved to the counter to start making hamburger patties. Roy came in and looked over at all the meat on the counter. The freezer couldn't have decided to go on the fritz when they were just about out of food and needed to go to the grocery store.

"I spoke to Ashley, she's gonna be over at 5. Will you give Johnny and call and then you can grab a shower before I need you to start the grill."

Roy sighed again. Joanne fought to hide her smile as he trudged slowly to the phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Hello," Johnny's voice was cautious as he answered the phone.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Roy asked.

"Oh, hey, Hi, Roy. Nothin', what's up?" Johnny's tone lightened as he recognized his friends voice.

"I was calling to see if you wanted to come to dinner? Our freezer went out and Joanne has to make 5 lbs of hamburger meat tonight. I've been volunteered to grill burgers. Then, we were hoping you'd keep an eye on Chris and Jennifer while we ran up to the store to buy a new fridge."

Johnny smiled, knowing he had met Joanne at the store yesterday to help pick out a new lawn mower for Roy. This must have been the plan she came up with to get him to help her pick it up and make sure it was the model he actually wanted before it left the store.

"Yeah, I'll watch the kids for a home cooked meal; what time to do you want me?"

"5:00 PM. Look, I gotta go jump in the shower, I'll see you in a bit," Roy hung up the phone and made his way up the stairs.

"Hi! Where's everyone at?" Johnny called as he let himself into the house.

"Uncle Johnny!" Jennifer screamed as she ran across the living room floor and catapulted herself into his arms. Johnny swung her up into the air and then brought her down and swung her between his legs, before lifting her into the air again. Her laughter filled the room.

"Again, again," she cried as he put her back down on the ground. "After dinner, promise," Johnny said, moving further into the house.

"Hey, Johnny, Roy's already outside grilling the burgers. Beers in the cooler on the deck, since the fridge is on the fritz," Joanne said, giving Johnny a knowing wink.

Johnny leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You're an amazing wife Joanne, Roy's very lucky to have you."

Joanne smiled at the back of his head, as he was already moving out to the deck. He was always in motion, she didn't know how Ashley handled him, but Joanne thought they made a cute couple. Roy had told her they weren't officially dating yet, but Joanne could tell they had strong feelings for each other. Johnny was very sweet with Ashley, unlike she had ever seen him with anyone else. She still didn't know Ashley that well, but it seemed like she really cared for Johnny too.

Joanne heard a faint knock at the front door. "Jennifer, can you get that? It should be Aunt Ashley," Joanne said, dropping a handful of fries into the hot grease and moving back slightly so the hot liquid didn't splash her.

Jennifer ran to the door and opened it wide. "Aunt Ashley!"

Ashley picked up the little girl and placed her on her hip. "How's my little princess?"

"Good, will you have tea party with me?" Jennifer asked, her eyes hopeful.

"After dinner, I promise," Ashley said, looking around. She'd seen Johnny's Rover parked in the driveway.

"Uncle Johnny's on the deck with daddy," Jennifer said. "He said he'd swing me around and throw me in the air after dinner."

Ashley smiled. "Then we can have our tea party after you are done having Uncle Johnny swing you around."

"Yippee," Jennifer clapped her hands.

Ashley moved into the kitchen. "Can I help with anything?"

"I'm just about done," Joanne said, adding the last of the fries to the oil. "Why don't you go out on the deck and chat with the guys. There's a couple of bottles of soda in the cooler," Joanne said, knowing Ashley typically avoided alcohol.

"Thanks." Ashley stepped out on the deck. She smiled when she saw Johnny leaning against the railing a few feet from Roy who was manning the grill. He looked over and saw her, and his crooked grin appeared instantly, and then just as quickly disappeared. Ashley felt a stab in her heart. Why wasn't he happy to see her, she thought. Had she done something wrong?

Ashley walked slowly toward both of them and stopped briefly to reach in the cooler and pull out a bottle of Coke.

Johnny pointed at the bottle opener on the picnic table and Ashley moved over to open the bottle.

"Hey, Ash, thanks for coming over," Roy said, having missed the scene that had gone on behind him as he flipped burgers.

"You're welcome," Ashley said quietly.

Roy continued to man the grill and Johnny and Ashley just stood on the deck. Johnny kept his eyes on the burgers that Roy was flipping and Ashley kept her gaze down on the ground. "Has anyone heard from Marco?" Ashley asked, hoping to start a conversation to fill the awkward silence.

"No, but I wasn't expecting too. I know this has to be really hard on him," Roy said.

"I was gonna stop by his place on the way home tonight. You haven't seen him for any tutoring lessons?" Johnny asked, looking over at her.

"Mike doesn't want me going over there right now. He's afraid that the C-14 gang will figure out where Marco lives and cause trouble," Ashley said, meeting Johnny's eyes.

"Mike's gotten pretty protective lately hasn't he?" Johnny asked before he thought.

Ashley cocked her head, "What do you mean?"

Johnny looked away and shook his head, "Nothin'."

Roy looked up at Johnny and then over at Ashley and back at Johnny; something was definitely going on, but he wasn't sure what.

"You know, with Ashley here, you really don't need me to stick around to watch the kids. Maybe I'll head over to Marco's now," Johnny said, quickly finishing the rest of his beer.

"What? You're not gonna stay for dinner?" Roy asked, surprised at Johnny's statement.

"Jennifer is looking forward to your twirling her around," Ashley said. "I can leave."

"Why does either one of you need to leave?" Roy asked, perplexed by the direction the conversation was taking.

"We don't," Johnny said, looking out into the backyard. "I'm just concerned about Marco, that's all."

"Why don't we just call him and see if he's free for dinner?" Roy suggested, looking over at Ashley who had leaned against the deck railing and was scrutinizing her bottle of Coke and then over at Johnny who was now looking anywhere, but at Ashley.

"I just don't think he'll come. I figured it was best to just show up at his house," Johnny said with a shrug.

"I'm gonna go see if I can help Joanne," Ashley said, moving inside.

Roy watched as Ashley closed the sliding glass door. As soon as the door was closed he turned to Johnny. "What is going on?"

Johnny looked around uncomfortably. "Mike asked me not to date Ashley."

"What? I thought you guys worked out your issues?"

"We did, or I think we did," Johnny ran his hands through his hair. "He says she needs to concentrate on her training at the academy."

"I was dating Joanne while I was at the academy. A lot of the guys are married or dating. That doesn't make any sense," Roy said.

"Well, first, she's not one of the guys. Mike's worried about how'll they'll treat her," Johnny said quietly.

Roy shook his head. "I don't buy it. Your reputation as a paramedic, carries a lot of weight. Going in as your girlfriend would only help her with the other trainees, not hurt her. What's really going on?"

"Mike thinks I'll break her heart. He said she didn't need a John Gage hit and run," Johnny pushed away from the railing and started pacing on the deck, letting his frustration come through. "I never knew Mike felt like that about me. I mean, I know I don't have the best track record, but I've never treated a girl poorly. And Ashley's different, I don't know how he can't see that. You see that, don't ya?" Johnny looked at Roy, his eyes showing the hurt he was feeling.

Roy put his hand on Johnny's shoulder. "Of course, I see that. Anyone who knows you at all can see that. You know Mike has an overwhelming sense of responsibility for Ashley. I'm sure he's just worried about her and didn't really mean what he said. You should talk to him again. Does Ashley know what Mike said?"

Johnny shook his head. "No. I don't want to cause issues in her and Mike's relationship. Ashley's really trying to find her independence; finding out that Mike is setting rules for her will cause problems."

Roy walked over and stood next to Johnny overlooking the backyard. Neither one of them heard Ashley open the screen door. "I'm in love with her Roy. It wasn't what I planned on happening, but it's how I feel. I need to talk to Mike because I don't want this to destroy our friendship; but he was very clear that if I hurt Ashley, he'd never forgive me."

Ashley quietly closed the sliding door. She felt sick to her stomach. Johnny was in love with someone else. He was afraid to tell her and hurt her because of his friendship with Mike. No wonder he'd been acting so weird the last couple of days.

Joanne came back into the kitchen. "Are the burgers ready?"

Ashley cleared her throat, trying to get her voice to work. "I don't know. I've gotta go Joanne. I'm sorry, but I'm not feeling very well." Ashley ducked her head as she passed Joanne, so she wouldn't see the tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"Ashley, what's wrong?" Joanne called after her as she hurried through the living room. Ashley didn't answer, she just let herself out the front door and ran to her car. Joanne made it to the front door in time to see Ashley pulling away from the house.

Joanne walked back out to the deck. "Everything okay?"

Roy looked over at Johnny. "Sure, why?"

"Ashley just left. She said she wasn't feeling very well and before I could even ask her what was wrong, she flew out of here." Joanne looked back and forth between Roy and Johnny.

"I'll talk to her on shift tomorrow," Roy said. "Let's eat before I burn these burgers. Johnny can still watch the kids while we run to the store."

E

"We shouldn't be meeting right now," the figure whispered from the shadows. "Jose is really on edge, he's questioning everyone, having us followed. It's not safe for me to be meeting you."

"It's important. I think I have a way to draw Jose out; make him personally act rather than sending one of the kids to do his dirty work," Lieutenant Rogers said, stepping further into the alleyway to talk to his detective. "I got a call from Lieutenant Crockett today. Apparently some C-14 members showed up at a fire station looking for Marco Lopez."

"Yeah, he used to run with C-14 back when Jose was just moving up the ranks. He was ordered to kill a member of the 18th Street gang and backed out. Jose thought Marco was dead. The fact he's alive and seems to be living a good life, is a slap in the face. For Jose, this is personal, he wants him dead in the worst way. Between Marco suddenly showing back up and the rumors of a cop among the members, Jose's comin' unglued."

"And that's how we get him. We use this Marco to taunt him. If you can manipulate the situation from the inside and we'll create some issues on our end, I think we use this Marco to draw Jose out. If you're right and this is personal to Jose, we can make Jose want to take out Marco himself," Lieutenant Rogers said.

"You want to use Marco as bait? Are you gonna tell him?"

Lieutenant Rogers shook his head. "Too risky. We have to make Jose think he's calling the shots, that's how we get him to play this out. You'll have to stick close to Jose and make sure you're with him when he goes to kill Marco. You'll be in a position to make sure Marco doesn't get hurt."

"Are you crazy? I can't make Jose take me anywhere with him. Yes, I'm in a position that he's bringing me along when he conducts business, but he's never let me be in a room when he's issued an order and I've certainly never seen him commit a crime. You can't bet Marco's life on Jose brining me along," the detective hissed. This assignment was getting insane, each day blurring the lines between right and wrong, black and white a little more.

"You'll figure it out. Follow him, if you have to."

"Jose is already paranoid about a snitch in the ranks. If all of a sudden I'm showing up where I'm not invited he'll make me for a cop."

"He won't. You're better than that. No one else has gotten this far," Lieutenant Rogers assured his detective before quickly walking out of the alley.

E

Frank knocked on the apartment door and waited for Jose to answer.

"What's the word," Jose said as he opened the door.

"All's quiet. I'm not getting any static about makin' sure your checking in and always going places in pairs. Everyone's freaked about the possibility of a cop among us," Frank said, moving toward the kitchen to grab a beer. He looked at the spot where the drywall was slightly indented from where Jose had slammed Marisol against the wall earlier. He wished he could have intervened, but Jose would never tolerate being told how to handle his woman.

"Where's Marisol?" Frank asked, trying to keep his tone nonchalant.

"I sent her to check on some of the girlfriends. Maybe one of them has a funny feelin' that her man may not be on the up and up. Loyalty to the group has to drummed into everyone right now. She should be back any minute."

"So what about this traitor, Marco. You want me to handle him for you," Frank asked, taking a long draw from the beer bottle.

"I can't be dealing with Marco right now. We gotta get rid of the rat in our midst first."

"I get where you're comin' from Jose; but you let this guy keep hanging out there and you're gonna get challenged, they're gonna think you've gone soft," Frank said, eyeing Jose.

A knife sailed past his head and embedded itself in the drywall, just to the left of the indent. "I ain't soft," Jose hissed.

Frank shrugged. "I'm just tellin' ya like it is. You can't let unfinished business go. The guys will either think your chicken of Marco, or chicken of the man. Either way, you're gettin' people lookin' to see if they can't take you out. Just give me the word, man, I'll take care of this Marco dude for ya."

"I'll handle my business, you just worry about finding the rat in our nest," Jose said, stomping over and pulling the knife out of the wall.


	5. Chapter 5

Johnny kept looking toward the door waiting for Ashley to come in. She'd never cut it this close before. "Roll call," Captain Stanley called from the bay.

The guys got up and moved toward the bay. "Where's Ashley?" Mike whispered to Johnny as they moved through the doorway.

"I was gonna ask you that," Johnny whispered back.

The guys got in a line, each one looking around, wondering where Ashley was.

"I'll spare you the suspense, she's not coming," Captain Stanley said, looking over the men. "She called me last night and said she was coming down with a cold and thought maybe she should take some time to rest before she went to the academy. She hasn't taken any time off since she came back to the station after…" Captain Stanley let the sentence trail off, knowing all the men would know he meant since she came back after her suicide attempt.

"Did she sound okay? Roy asked.

"Why?" Captain Stanley said, narrowing his eyes.

"She was at our house last night for dinner, but left suddenly telling Joanne she wasn't feeling well," Roy said, looking at Johnny.

"What happened?" Mike asked.

"I don't know. We were on the deck, talking about," Roy paused before he admitted they were talking about Marco. "Talking, then suddenly her and Johnny were arguing about which one should leave. I thought we agreed that neither one would leave and she went in to go help Joanne. A few minutes later, Joanne came out and said Ashley had said she wasn't feeling well and left."

"What did you say to her?" Mike said, turning to Johnny.

"Nothing, I didn't say anything to her," Johnny protested, putting his hand on his chest. "You can ask Roy; I was never alone with her."

"Mike, nothing happened between her and Johnny," Roy assured the engineer.

"Then why is she gone? Why didn't she call me?" Mike asked. "Cap, did she sound okay?" Mike turned to Captain Stanley.

Captain Stanley ran his hand across his chin. "Actually, no, she sounded like she'd been crying; but I thought maybe it was the cold she was coming down with."

"Cap, can I go call Tina? She's off today; maybe she can get ahold of Ashley," Mike said, already moving toward the day room.

"Go ahead," Cap said.

Mike quickly picked up the phone and dialed his home number. Tina picked up the phone before the second ring. "Hello, Stoker residence."

"Tina, have you heard from Ashley," Mike asked without even saying hello.

"Hi, no, is everything okay?"

"She didn't come in today. She called Captain Stanley last night and told him she was coming down with a cold and was going to take some time off until the academy. He said she sounded like she'd been crying. She was at Roy's and left suddenly claiming she was sick. Johnny was there and did something that upset her," Mike said.

"I did not," Johnny protested, hearing Mike's side of the conversation.

Tina heard Johnny through the handset. "Mike, relax. I'll call her."

"Let me know as soon as you talk to her," he said.

"I will. I'll find her, Mike. I promise. You just worry about you, I'll take care of Ashley," Tina assured him.

"I won't be distracted, I promise," Mike said, knowing what she was worried about.

"I didn't say anything to her Mike," Johnny insisted, as Mike hung up the phone.

"They why did she leave upset?" Mike asked, moving into Johnny's personal space.

"I don't know. When Tina finds her, you can ask her. But, I swear, I've been keeping my distance, just like you asked. We didn't go hiking and I didn't call her at all while we were off. I didn't even know she was gonna be at Roy's."

"She's not ready for all this Johnny. Don't you see it. She's running again, some little thing set her off and she's right back to where she was before. What if," Mike stopped and looked away. He ran his hand through his hair.

"What if, what?" Johnny asked.

"What if she tries to hurt herself again?"

"She won't, Mike. Ashley's much stronger than she was…"

Mike cut Johnny off, "If she's so much stronger, then why is she running?"

The klaxons sounded. "Station 51, attempted suicide, Pier J. Time out, 8:22." Sam's voice came across the speaker.

Johnny met Mike's gaze. "She wouldn't," he said, as he turned and hurried to the passenger side of the squad.

Roy looked over at Johnny as the Squad pulled out of the bay and turned onto the street. "Mike's worried it's Ashley," Johnny said quietly, scanning traffic.

Roy said nothing, he just stepped a bit harder on the gas.

Mike jumped out of the Engine as soon as it was stopped and headed toward the crowd. Johnny and Roy were grabbing gear out of the squad.

"Mike," Captain Stanley called, but Mike kept moving through the crowd.

The police moved aside allowing Mike to enter the secured area.

Two police officers were kneeling down on the pier, next to the patient. Mike couldn't get a look at the victim. He continued to move forward, feeling like his boots were filled with concrete. He could see a bit of blonde hair, but not much else as he got closer.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he was finally able to see the victim's face and realized the victim was a man, then he felt slightly guilty about how happy he felt in that moment. He looked up as Roy and Johnny moved near him. "I can hold the oxygen on him," Mike said, letting them know the victim wasn't Ashley.

Mike set up the oxygen as Johnny started taking the man's vitals and Roy set up the biophone. "Rampart, this is Squad 51, how do you read?"

"Go ahead, 51," Dr. Morton said.

"Rampart, we have an apparent attempted suicide," Roy said.

A police officer knelt down next to him and handed him a pill bottle. "These were found in his pocket. We don't know how many he took. No one was paying any attention to him. He was sitting on that bench over there, until he collapsed," the police officer nodded toward the bench facing the water a few feet away.

"Rampart, it appears the victim may have taken phenobarbital. The prescription shows refilled yesterday for 30 pills and it's empty. Stand by for vitals, Rampart," Roy looked over at Johnny.

"Respirations are 6, pulse is weak and thready, BP is 80/50. Skin is cold and clammy and pupils are restricted," Johnny relayed.

Roy relayed the information to Rampart. "51, establish an airway and start an IV with lactate ringers."

Johnny moved to get the airway in place. Mike removed the oxygen mask and moved out of Johnny's way. Roy began to prep the IV.

After the airway was established Johnny checked the vitals again. Roy advised Rampart the breathing tube was in and the IV had been started. The ambulance attendants arrived with the gurney. "Rampart, we're getting ready to transport," Roy advised.

"10-4, 51."

Roy loaded up with the patient and Mike helped Johnny carry the equipment back to the squad. Johnny followed the ambulance to Rampart. He stopped at the desk to see Dixie and get some supplies while Roy entered the treatment room with the patient.

"Hey, Dix," Johnny said, but without his usual smile.

"Rough call?"

"Yeah, but I have to admit, I was relieved it wasn't Ashley."

"Ashley, why would you have thought it was Ashley? When I talked to her last she was so excited about getting into the academy. Why would you think she'd do something like this again?" Dixie asked.

"I don't. I don't think I do anyway. Mike did," Johnny ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know. It's all mixed up, Dix. Ashley left Roy's last night saying she was sick, then called Captain Stanley and said she wasn't coming back to the station. I don't know what's goin' on."

"Why don't you call her and ask?" Dixie said, looking at him.

"It's complicated."

"She's your friend, she's upset, you're worried about her. I don't see what's so complicated?" Dixie said, examining Johnny's expression.

Johnny looked at her thinking of Mike. "It is."

Dixie cocked her head, but said nothing as Roy joined them at the station.

"How's the patient?" Dixie asked.

"Still breathing," Roy said. "We should get back to the station."

"Catch you later, Dix," Johnny said, moving with Roy toward the exit.

E

Tina knocked on Ashley's apartment door. She'd tried calling a couple of times, but when Ashley hadn't answered Tina had decided to just drive over to her apartment.

After several minutes, Ashley opened the door. "Hey, are you okay?" Tina asked, taking in Ashley's red rimmed eyes and pale complexion.

Ashley just moved away from the door and went back to folding clothes and putting them into a suitcase. Several boxes were stacked against one wall of the apartment and others were open and waiting for items to go in them.

"Ashley, what's goin' on?" Tina asked, noticing several of the bookshelves were empty, and pictures had been taken off the wall.

"My lease is up at the end of the month. I was just gonna keep paying for the apartment while I was in the academy, but," Ashley just shrugged. "Since I don't know where I'll end up after the academy I figured I'd just let the apartment go."

"What do you mean, where you'll end up? It's the Los Angeles County Fire Department, you shouldn't be too far from any of the stations from this location," Tina said.

Ashley didn't respond. She added the last shirt to the suitcase and closed it, flipping the locks.

"Ashley, what happened?" Tina moved a box off a chair and motioned for Ashley to sit down. She moved several items off another chair across from the first and sat down waiting for her friend.

"He's in love with someone else," Ashley said quietly, sitting down in the chair and dropping her head into her hands. She felt her eyes begin to sting and quickly wiped at them, angry that she was going to cry, yet again.

"Who? Johnny?"

"I heard him talking to Roy last night," Ashley said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Ashley, are you sure?" Tina said, perplexed. She would have bet money that Johnny was in love with Ashley.

"He said he was in love with her, that he hadn't planned on it, but it's how he feels. He said he had to talk to Mike because he didn't want it to destroy their friendship, and Mike had been clear that if he hurt me, he would never forgive him. I'm sure," Ashley said.

Tina shook her head, this was all very confusing, but if Ashley heard it directly from Johnny, it must be true.

"I'm so sorry, Ashley. I know you guys weren't officially dating, but I really thought you'd end up together, once you stopped working at the station," Tina said.

"Me too," Ashley said, as she reached for a tissue. "Right now, I just want to leave my options open for after the academy and getting locked into a year's lease isn't on my new agenda."

"What are you gonna do with all this while you're at the academy?" Tina looked at all the boxes.

"I have a friend that says I can store most of the boxes in her attic; you know; things I don't want to part with. I won't need much at the academy. When we have breaks, I guess I'll just stay in a motel for a few days," Ashley said, moving into the kitchen to start wrapping dishes and placing them in a box.

"Why don't you put some of it in my spare room. You can stay with me on your breaks," Tina offered.

Ashley turned to look at her. "Are you sure?"

"Sure, I have two rooms and to be honest, I stay with Mike a lot of the time," Tina assured her.

Ashley smiled at her. "You two make such a cute couple."

Tina blushed. "Thanks. You know, you really should meet with Dr. Baker," Tina suggested, looking over at her friend again. Ashley was in a much better place than when they'd first met on the psychiatric unit several months ago; but she had just tried to take her own life a few months ago and Tina knew that people often tried more than once.

"I'm not suicidal," Ashley said, looking at Tina.

"I'm sure you're not; but heartbreaks aren't easy to deal with," Tina said.

"I'll give her a call later today," Ashley agreed.

"Wow, that was too easy," Tina said, feeling herself get a little worried.

"I'd already been thinking about it," Ashley said quietly, looking up from the dishes she was packing in the box. "Not hurting myself," she amended quickly. "But, talking to Dr. Baker. I've never let myself get this close to someone before. I keep trying to figure out what's wrong with me, why Johnny doesn't love me."

"There's nothing wrong with you," Tina insisted.

Ashley just looked at her, tears glistening again in her eyes. Tina moved forward and hugged her friend. Mike was going to be furious when he found out that Johnny broke Ashley's heart. It was exactly what he'd feared. Why didn't Johnny say something to Mike when he told him not to date Ashley, Tina wondered. That would have been the perfect time to start the conversation.

"Let's figure out what you should take to my place and we can move some of those boxes today," Tina said, pulling back.

Ashley nodded and walked toward her bedroom where more empty boxes were open and waiting on the bed.

Tina quietly picked up the phone in the kitchen and dialed the station phone number. Mike picked up on the first ring. "Los Angeles County Fire Department, Engineer Mike Stoker speaking."

"Mike, it's Tina. I've only got a second. I'm with Ashley, she's really upset, but she's safe."

"Why?"

"I can't talk right now, but I'll fill you in tomorrow night when I get off work. I gotta go," Tina whispered, quickly hanging up the phone. She quickly moved down the hallway to help Ashley pack items to take over to her apartment.

E

Jose moved around the apartment like a caged tiger. Marisol sat on the couch painting her nails, but she kept an eye on Jose. She'd never seen him this agitated before. She wondered if there was a new development with Marco.

Marisol jumped at the sudden knocking on the door.

Jose stalked over and jerked open the door. "It's about time. What's the word?"

Frank leaned in close to speak to Jose. "Oh stop whispering, Marisol can hear this," Jose said, stomping over to a chair near the couch and flopping down.

Frank nodded to Marisol and went to sit in another chair.

"Some of the boys have Hector in an apartment, questioning him. Seems he was seen hanging down on Musser street, not too far from the Sheriff's office. He says he was supposed to be meeting a new buyer, but no one would be settin' up a meet that close to fuzz headquarters," Frank said.

"Has he admitted to being the snitch yet?" Jose asked.

"Not yet, and I hear the boys have worked 'im over pretty good. I thought you and I'd head over, have a few words. Maybe we can test his loyalty, get him to take care of this Marco dude for ya, as a way of proving his loyalty to C-14. Unless, of course, you want to do Marco on your own," Frank pulled a knife out of his back pocket and began to clean under his fingernails.

Jose looked at Frank and then looked over at Marisol. "Maybe we should let Marisol take out Marco; after all, dude killed her brother.

Marisol closed the nail polish bottle and leaned over putting it on the coffee table before looking over at Jose. "You serious?"

Jose looked at her for a few minutes. "You interested?"

Marisol continued to look at him.

Jose smirked. "Even knowing he killed your brother, you don't have the guts to kill him, do ya?"

Marisol got up and walked toward the kitchen. She stopped and turned to face Jose and Frank. "I don't know. Do you?"

Jose jumped out of the chair and lunged toward Marisol grabbing her arm and twisting it as he pulled her toward him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Marisol grimaced, but refused to back down. "You didn't kill him the first time; you know he's alive now and you haven't gone after him. He killed a member of C-14, pretended he was dead to leave the gang, you know he's alive, you know where he works, but you've only sent scraps after him," Marisol said, her tone icy. "Maybe you're the one who doesn't have the guts to kill him."

Marisol felt herself hitting the floor, before she registered the fact that Jose had slapped her; but soon she felt the sting in her cheek and tasted the blood in her mouth.

"Jose, don't," Frank said, jumping to his feet as Jose leaned over and delivered another blow to Marisol, this time a closed fist to her abdomen.

Marisol laid back on the floor, gasping to catch her breath.

"What?" Jose turned toward Frank. "You tellin' me how to handle my woman?"

"Look, you can deal with her later, right now we need to go handle things with Hector," Frank said, backing up toward the door.

Jose grabbed Marisol's arm again, yanking her to her feet. "You don't think I've got the guts to kill Marco Lopez," he hissed at her.

"Why haven't you gone after him?" Marisol asked quietly, blood covering the corner of her mouth.

"Keep your nose outta my business," Jose hissed at her.

"Everyone's already questioning it, Jose. I was getting' asked when I checked on the girlfriends. People are more curious about what you're gonna do about a traitor, than the possible cop. If you don't handle it, someone else will, and you'll have a power struggle on your hands," Marisol said, looking at him.

Jose delivered another backhanded smack to her face and let her drop to the ground. "No one, do you hear me, no one, questions my authority!"

Jose turned and yanked open the door. He walked out into the hallway.

Frank took one look at Marisol on the ground and followed Jose. He caught up to him at the bottom of the stairs. "You know she's right," Frank said quietly. "I've already heard rumblings in the ranks. You're gonna have to handle your business, personally and quickly, if you want to avoid bein' challenged."

"Whose gonna challenge me, Frank," Jose said, shoving his number 2 against a nearby car. "You, you gonna challenge me?"

"Jose, man, I'm just looking out for you. A cop getting in and moving up the ranks, this dude coming back from the past, it makes you look sloppy. You know I'm loyal, man, but you better solve one of these problems pronto."

Jose locked eyes with Frank, staring at him, looking for any signs of deception. Frank kept his gaze locked on Jose's never flinching. "Let's go check out Hector," Jose said, moving toward the passenger seat of the car. Frank opened the other door and slid behind the steering wheel.

E

Marco lay on his bunk, staring at the ceiling. He could hear the rhythmic breathing of the other men, who had long since fallen asleep.

 _Maybe I should just confront Jose_ , Marco thought. _Bring all of this to a head. And quickly get yourself killed,_ was his next thought.

He wasn't sure how this was going to get resolved without someone else dying.

Marco closed his eyes as his mind flashed back to the day in the hospital when his dad had told him that Rico was dead. He could see his dad's solemn eyes, the grief in his voice. Marco hadn't been able to stop the tears. He rolled onto his side, hoping his dad wouldn't see him crying, but his dad had put his hand on his arm and rolled him back over to face him. "You should cry, Marco," he'd said. "Life is precious, it should be cherished and protected. This was a huge waste, because of stupid, thoughtless choices. Done by a man that had no honor, that didn't respect the sanctity of life. This tragedy deserves tears."

It was in that conversation that his dad told him they let the word get out that Marco had also died from his injuries. Marco hadn't wanted to go away to his grandmothers. He didn't want to leave his brothers and sisters. Who would protect them? His dad had assured him that they were going to move the family a few blocks away, out of the immediate gang area. But, if C-14 thought Marco was alive, they'd hunt him down. Having him go to Fresno, was the safest thing for him and his family.

Marco had laid awake in bed that night too. The same empty feeling in his soul, that he felt now. The knowledge that he was going to lose everything he valued because of a stupid decision making his chest ache. He had to find a way to fix this situation without losing his job, his friends, his life.

Marco forced himself to close his eyes, hoping the sheer act of closing his eyelids would help him fall asleep. Instead the image of Marisol filled in the darkness. The image of her long black hair and dark brown eyes affecting his breathing. She really had turned into such a beautiful woman. He'd thought she was beautiful back then too, but he'd been 16 and she was only 13; way too young, for him to think of romantically. Now she belonged to Jose; the thought made Marco's stomach churn.

He rolled back on to his back. Why would she be with someone like that? Surely she didn't believe that he'd killed Rico. Marco swung his legs over the side of the bed. If he didn't start getting some sleep soon he wouldn't have to worry about Jose killing him; he'd get himself killed on the job.

He pulled up his bunkers and looked over at Johnny's bunk, a faint smile growing underneath his mustache. Maybe he should have the guys rig him a cradle like they'd done for Johnny when he'd been battling insomnia.

Marco trudged into the kitchen and started the coffee pot. While the coffee was percolating he walked into the bay, he walked across the front of the squad and ran his hand along the hood. He stood staring at the engine.

While he'd still been in the hospital, one of the first firefighters that had been on scene at the hotel had come to see him. He told him about the fight to keep him alive. There hadn't been paramedics back then, no real medical training. The fireman had told him that he'd kept pressure on Marco's wound and had just prayed to St. Jude, the "Saint for the Hopeless and the Despaired"; because so many lives had already been lost that day, he didn't think he could face one more.

The fireman, Otto, told Marco that he too had once belonged to a gang, but he'd left after the gang started a large fire at an apartment complex that killed dozens of people. He joined the fire department as a penance for the sins of his past. Marco hadn't started fires in his past, but he did feel the need to do penance for his actions.

When Marco had gone to his grandmothers, there had been a fire station only a few blocks from her house. Marco had started going there and hanging around. The guys had been great, talking to him, teaching him about being a firefighter and when the time came, helping him apply to the academy.

Running from that past had helped him find a life he loved. He didn't want to give this up because of the sins of his past.

E

"Look, whatdya think?" The figure in the dark car parked across from the station said to the other guys sitting in the car. They could see the shadow of a man through the bay door of the station.

"You can't tell who it is," one of the boys in the backseat said.

"So what," the guy in the passenger seat said, pulling the rifle from underneath the seat.

He rolled down the window and slid out so he was sitting on the edge of the door. He balanced the rifle on the roof of the car and took aim at the dark outline.

The driver started the car, the sudden rumbling of the engine breaking the silence of the darkness.

The sound of a rifle firing sounded like a pop inside the station, but it was the sound of metal splintering that sent the guys quickly scrambling into their bunkers, not even sure what they'd heard, but knowing instinctively they needed to react.

Captain Stanley was the first one into the bay.

"Get down," Marco said, from his position crouched by the side of the engine.

"What's goin' on?" Johnny asked, crouching down behind the squad with Roy. Mike and Chet had moved to behind the engine and Captain Stanley had moved to kneel beside Marco.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Captain Stanley asked his senior linesman, looking him over.

"No, but I think the squad might be," Marco said.

Roy stayed low, but moved away from the back of the squad and up along the wall.

"Where are you going?" Johnny asked, moving to see Roy.

"I'm going into the dayroom to call the police," Roy said, quickly slipping around the corner and allowing himself to stand up and grab the phone.

Captain Stanley moved away from Marco and around the rear of the squad.

"Now where are you going?" Johnny asked, exasperated by all the people moving when someone had shot at the station.

"To make the station unavailable. The last thing we need is to get a call right now."

Johnny turned back to look at Marco. "Move back here so I can check you out."

Marco looked over at him, but didn't say anything and didn't move. Johnny started toward him. "Stay back," Marco ordered.

"Either you're comin' to me, or I'm comin' to you," Johnny said, but he stayed in his position behind the squad.

Marco moved to the back of the squad. Johnny looked him over and other than a cut on his arm from flying metal, he appeared to be okay.

Johnny slid around the edge of the squad and opened the compartment doors to get the box with bandages. He quickly cleaned Marco's arm and was putting on a bandage when flashing blue lights started to reflect through the bay doors, and the sound of a car with the siren going pulling into the parking lot reached the guys. Roy moved to open the back door and the police men entered the station.

"We've searched the immediate perimeter; your shooters are gone," the officer said.

The police were collecting the bullet and looking at the damage to the door and the squad to determine the location of the shooter while the men of Station 51 sat around the table answering another officer's questions. Lieutenant Crockett arrived as the officer asking the men questions was closing his notepad.

"Everyone okay?"

"Hey, Ron, I'm surprised they sent you out on this. Didn't you say gang activity wasn't your department?" Captain Stanley asked.

"Vince is working another area, but heard 51 had been shot at, he called me," Ron said, sitting down at the table.

"I'm really sorry, guys. Maybe I should take a leave," Marco said. He couldn't help think about what if it'd been Mike standing in the bay. It wasn't unusual for him to go check on the engine, if he was having trouble sleeping. What if the shooters had realized the bay door was heavy metal, even though you could see shadows and had gotten closer before they'd fired?

"You can't let them chase you away Marco," Lieutenant Crockett said. "This isn't going away in a couple of weeks. You're gonna have to face this down."

"How?" Marco asked.

"You're gonna have to face Jose," Lieutenant Crockett said.

"If I do that," Marco said, looking at him, "someone's gonna end up dead."

"Not necessarily," Lieutenant Crockett said.

"How can you say that?" Chet asked.

"What do you know, we don't?" Roy asked.

Lieutenant Crockett smiled at him. "Not a thing."

"Yeah, right," Johnny scoffed.

"Sometimes you just have to trust the police to be there when you need them," Lieutenant Crockett said.

"So what do you want me to do?" Marco asked.

"Just keep going about your normal day, Marco. Keep an eye out for your surroundings, it may not hurt to stay somewhere other than your house," Lieutenant Crockett suggested.

"He can stay with me," Chet offered.

"Me too," Johnny said.

"It wouldn't hurt if he moved around to a few different places. But, I'd avoid the DeSoto's and Stanley's because of the kids."

Marco shook his head. "I've already put you guys in enough danger."

"There's safety in numbers, Marco," Mike said.

"Then it's settled," Captain Stanley said. "He'll stay with Chet first, after a couple of days he'll go to Johnny's and then to Mike's. Then we'll switch up the rotation."

Captain Stanley stood indicating the conversation was over. Marco didn't bother to argue; he knew when he was outnumbered.


	6. Chapter 6

"Thanks for letting me crash with you, Chet," Marco said, dumping his bag on the floor near the front door.

"No problem, it's gonna be great. They're playing "The Thing that Ate the World" tonight, whatyda say we walk over and catch the midnight showing," Chet said, moving to drop his bag in his bedroom. He didn't have a washer/dryer in his apartment. He and Marco could walk to the first floor later and use the washer and dryer in the laundry room. The ladies always got in there first thing in the morning; Chet had learned he had better luck if we waited until lunchtime to try to wash his uniforms.

"The Thing that Ate the World, really?" Marco grimaced, but smiled knowing it was one of Chet's favorite movies.

"C'mon, man, it'll be great," Chet said.

"Before I think about watching that movie, I need to get some breakfast," Marco said.

"Yeah, I haven't exactly made it to the market yet," Chet admitted. "Let's go over to DeLuca's and get some omelets. We can stop at the store on the way back and pick up the necessities."

"Sure," Marco said reaching for the door.

The guys decided to walk the short distance to DeLuca's and stopped at the market on the way back. Loaded down with 6 bags each, Marco was beginning to regret the decision to walk the five blocks, when a car approaching them slowed down.

"Trouble?" Chet asked quietly, trying to get a good look at the driver of the car.

"I don't know," Marco said, feeling his muscles begin to tense.

The car stopped next to the curb. Marco looked inside and gasped when he saw a very bruised Marisol.

"Marisol, what happened?"

"Get in; we need to talk," Marisol said, scanning the area for trouble.

Marco reached for the door, but Chet hip checked him to get him away from the car door. "Are you crazy?" He asked, his voice astounded.

"I can trust Marisol," Marco said, trying to maneuver around Chet.

"No way am I letting you get in a car with a gang member," Chet argued continuing to block Marco's movements.

"Marco, please," Marisol pleaded looking around. "Get in the car, this is importante."

"Chet," Marco pushed against his friend.

"No!" Chet said firmly. He turned and bent down, so he could look in the car. "There's a park, three blocks north and one block west. There's a baseball field at the far end with a covered dugout. Meet us there in 10 minutes." Chet stood up and moved Marco back toward his apartment; making sure Marisol didn't follow them.

"I can trust Marisol, Chet," Marco said, moving at a faster pace toward the apartment. Marisol had looked pretty beat up, maybe she had come to him to help her get away from Jose. Marco felt the hope already blossoming.

"Really, Marco. How'd she find you so quickly? She had to follow us from the station. That doesn't sound trustworthy to me," Chet said, feeling anxious at how things were unfolding.

The men quickly stored the groceries in Chet's apartment, only putting away the items that need to be put in the refrigerator or freezer. They loaded into Chet's van and headed over to the park. They did not see Marisol's car anywhere.

"She was gonna try to leave the gang, Chet; and you scared her away," Marco said, the anger evident in his voice.

"What on earth makes you think that?" Chet asked.

"Didn't you see her? Someone beat her up; probably Jose. She was comin' to me because she knew I'd help her. You shoulda let me get in the car."

"Or she was trying to trap you, get you in the car and take you to Jose. When her plan didn't work she took off," Chet argued, unwilling to believe Marco's version of the scene.

Marco got out of the van as soon as Chet parked and started moving toward the ball field. He was surprised to see Marisol sitting in the dugout. "I didn't see your car," Marco said, moving to sit down next to her. Chet moved to stand a few feet away, scanning the area for any signs of other gang members.

"I heard about the shooting at the station last night. Is everyone okay?" Marisol asked, looking down at the dirt.

"Yeah, we're all fine," Marco said.

"Except for the Squad, which is gonna need a new radiator," Chet said, looking over Marisol.

Marisol looked up at Chet briefly and then over at Marco. "Some of the younger members are thinking they can move up if they take you out, earn Jose's favor. Some of the older members may think if they take you out they can displace Jose and take over as leader. I warned you before Marco, you've gotta get outta here."

"Marisol, did Jose hurt you?" Marco asked, trying to get her to turn, so he could see her injuries better.

"It doesn't matter," Marisol said quietly.

"Has anyone looked at you? Checked to make sure nothing was broken?" Marco asked, this time he moved so he could get a better look at her face. "I can have Johnny or Roy meet us up here and take care of that for you." Marco took in the split lip and the large bruise on her cheek.

"Would you forget about me. He's gonna have to kill you Marco. Are you not getting that? If Jose doesn't kill you, one of the other members of C-14 will. You've gotta get outta town."

Marco reached up and ran a hand over Marisol's hair, brushing her uninjured cheek lightly with his thumb. "I can't forget about you Marisol."

Marisol stood up and moved away from Marco. She looked over at Chet. "Would you talk some sense into him?"

"He's not running," Chet said. "We'll face this as a family."

"Then you'll bury your brother; just like I buried mine," Marisol said, putting her hands on her hips.

"We'll take care of Marco," Chet said.

"You can't even hide him from me," Marisol argued.

"How did you find me?" Marco asked.

"It's not that hard, Marco. The same way the guys last night found you; we all know where you work. You were easy to follow. You've been out of the game too long. You're an easy target. Please, go on a vacation, Marco. Do something to be gone a few weeks."

"What difference is a few weeks gonna make Marisol?" Marco asked, letting some of his frustration bleed out in his voice.

"Please, just go," Marisol said, before turning and leaving the dugout.

"We need to call Lieutenant Crockett," Chet said, starting to head back toward his van.

Marco sat in the dugout for several seconds. He had to get Marisol away from the gang; he just wasn't sure how to do it.

E

"It was such a pleasure renting to you, Ashley. Do you think you might come back to us after you finish your fire academy training?" The building manager asked as Ashley turned in the keys to her apartment. She couldn't believe it, but after moving boxes to Tina's yesterday, she'd been able to finish packing everything to go to her friend's attic that night. This morning she'd paid a moving company to move her bedroom furniture to Tina's and everything else to her other friend's house. She had given several items to neighbors she knew were struggling to keep their apartments furnished because of financial constraints. She was now officially homeless.

"I'm not sure Mrs. Crandall. I enjoyed living here, but I'm not sure where I'll end up," Ashley said with a smile as she handed over her keys.

"Good luck, Ashley."

"Thanks."

Ashley walked down the steps toward her car. She had two suitcases in the trunk and had decided to go away for the couple of weeks until she started at the fire academy. On a whim she had decided to go see an old friend from her foster care days. Jack had been one of the boys in the group foster care home she'd been placed in after several private homes hadn't worked out. It was where she had spent the last few years of her so called childhood. Jack had been her protector. He was a police officer in Arcata now and described it as a quaint little town where you could walk everywhere and see amazing architecture, impressive redwood forests and nearly empty beaches. Ashley thought it sounded like a perfect place to mend a broken heart.

Ashley got in the car, consulted the map and headed North. It was just a little passed 1:00 PM. Ashley figured if she drove consistently and only stopped for brief periods of time she could get to Arcata a little after midnight. Jack had said that wasn't a problem, he wasn't on shift tomorrow and would wait up for her. She just needed to put as much distance between herself and Johnny as possible.

E

Johnny looked up from the newspaper at the sound of footprints moving down the hall. He was leaning against Ashley's apartment door waiting for her to get home. Her car wasn't in the parking lot and she hadn't answered when he knocked, but he was determined to wait for her as long as it took.

"Johnny, what are you doing here?" Mrs. Crandall asked, as she approached Ashley's apartment.

"I'm waiting for Ashley," Johnny said, not moving from his spot.

Mrs. Crandall gave him a confused look, and then a look of understanding and pity crossed her face. "I'm so sorry, dear. Ashley moved out this morning," Mrs. Crandall explained, looking at the handsome young man. She had wondered if there was something going on between him and Ashley, she had seen Johnny there enough. Now she figured that Ashley had wanted to end it and hadn't had the courage to tell him it was over. It just didn't seem like her to run out on her boyfriend, but sometimes you never could tell. She'd seen a lot of things as an apartment building manager. This wouldn't be the first time a tenant had left and not told a significant other, shoot, she'd seen spouses do it.

"What do you mean, she moved out?" Johnny asked, getting to his feet.

"She said she wasn't going to need the apartment while in training at the fire academy and she wasn't sure where she'd end up after it was over," Mrs. Crandall said, giving Johnny her best sympathetic pat on the arm.

"Are you sure?" Johnny asked, disbelief showing on his face.

"I was just about to check the apartment, dear. I'm sure she left it clean, but I need to confirm that so I can arrange for new tenants to look at the apartment tomorrow," Mrs. Crandall said, moving to unlock the door.

She opened the door and allowed Johnny to follow her in. She walked through the apartment, smiling at how clean Ashley had left it. She wouldn't need to do anything to rent it out. Mrs. Crandall flipped on lights checking to make sure there were not any blown out lightbulbs that would need to be replaced before someone moved in.

Johnny slowly moved from room to room. Everything was gone. Ashley hadn't left a note, or said anything to any of them. She was just gone. Surely she told Mike, Johnny thought.

"Uh, thanks, Mrs. Crandall. I gotta go," Johnny said, hurrying out of the apartment and down to the parking lot. He'd go see if Mike knew anything.

Johnny knocked again on Mike's apartment door when he didn't immediately answer the first knock.

"Hold your horses," he heard Mike say.

A few seconds later the door opened. Mike stood there in a pair of sweatpants, no shirt, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "How is it you're up and out already," Mike asked, moving back into the apartment, so Johnny could follow him. "The squad was out even more than the engine last night."

"Where'd Ashley go?" Johnny asked impatiently.

"What?" Mike asked moving toward the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator, pulling a carton of orange juice out.

"Cut the crap, Mike. Where'd she go? She moved out of her apartment, where is she staying?"

"What? C'mon Johnny, I'm too tired to play games. She didn't move out of her apartment."

"Mike, I was just there, man. Everything's gone. Mrs. Crandall said she left today."

Mike slowly moved over to the counter and set down the juice. "Are you serious?"

"Yeh."

Mike looked at the clock. How was it already after 3:00 PM? He'd only intended to sleep a couple of hours. Tina would be over soon from work; maybe she knew something. "Look, Tina saw her yesterday. She should be over in about an hour. Why don't you run to the store and buy some hamburger meat? I'll jump in the shower and we can make burgers and fries. You can join us for dinner and we'll figure out what's goin' on," Mike suggested.

"Okay," Johnny said. "Mike, look, I don't know what's going on, but I really do love her. Realizing she was gone today, man my whole world just stopped. I know you have your concerns, but you gotta let me tell her how I feel."

Mike looked at the pain in Johnny's eyes. "I know you do, Johnny. We'll figure it out when Tina get's here."

E

Johnny was pulling the bags out of his Rover when Tina pulled into the parking lot. "Tina, do you know where Ashley went?" Johnny asked, watching the young woman get out of her car. "I went to her apartment today and she'd moved out."

Tina frowned and her dark eyes clouded over. "What difference does it make to you?" She snapped at him, remembering her friend sobbing the day before.

"What?"

"It's none of your business, John. Haven't you hurt her enough," Tina said over her shoulder as she hurried to Mike's apartment.

"What are you talking about Tina? I didn't hurt Ashley," Johnny said, defending himself as he hurried after her.

Mike must have been watching for them, because he opened his apartment door as Johnny finished his statement.

"I was with her yesterday, John Gage, I know all about what you told Roy the other day. I can't believe you treated her like that. Mike was right to tell you to stay away from her. What I can't figure out, is why you acted like it was some big deal when you were already involved with someone else?"

"What are you talking about? I'm not involved with someone else?" Johnny asked, baffled by their conversation.

"What did he tell Roy?" Mike asked.

"Ashley overheard Johnny telling Roy that he was in love with someone else. But, he was worried about his friendship with you because you'd warned him not to hurt Ashley," Tina said, putting her fists on her hips and facing Johnny.

"I didn't tell Roy I was in love with someone else? How could she think that?" Johnny's eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out how Ashley could've thought he was in love with someone else. "Ugh," he groaned, looking up at the sky. "She overheard Roy and I talking on the deck the other night; that's why she left," Johnny said, finally realizing what had happened.

"Yes, she heard you tell Roy you were in love with another girl," Tina accused.

Johnny shook his head. "No, what she heard me say was, 'I'm in love with her. It wasn't what I was planning, but it's how I feel. I need to talk to Mike because I don't want to destroy our friendship; but he was very clear if I hurt Ashley he would never forgive me.' The her, was Ashley. I was telling Roy I was in love with Ashley. But, Mike had already said he didn't want me seeing her. I couldn't stay away from her. The tension at Roy's that night was eating me up. I just wanted to be able to hold her, kiss her, tell her I love her."

Tina's eyes misted up. "Oh, Johnny, that's so sweet. I knew you loved Ashley; I couldn't figure out how you could've been in love with anyone else."

"Where is she Tina?" Mike asked.

"I don't know. I mean, I didn't think she'd be able to pack everything so quickly. Some of her stuff is at my place. She's gonna stay with me during breaks from the Fire Academy; but she said she wanted to get away for a couple of weeks before she started. She said she needed to get her head on straight. She was really upset, Johnny."

"I've got to find her," Johnny said, feeling the desperation kick in. She thought he was in love with someone else. If he couldn't find her, it could be six-weeks before he saw her again. The academy didn't start for 2 weeks and she wouldn't have enough time off to bother leaving the academy in the first month. He needed to talk to her.

"She mentioned something about maybe going to see a friend from her last foster care home, but I don't even have a name," Tina told Johnny.

"Maybe it isn't so bad," Mike reasoned.

"How can you say that? What if she finds someone else?" Johnny asked.

"Look, if she falls in love with someone else in 6-weeks, you guys weren't gonna last anyway. This gives you six-weeks away from her too, to make sure you really want to make a serious commitment," Mike said.

"Mike," Johnny said, exasperated.

"I know, you love her. But, Johnny, if that is really true, six-weeks won't change anything; for either one of you," Mike said, reaching for the bags Johnny still held. "C'mon, I'll make dinner, you can join us."

"Mike, she's still gonna spend six-weeks thinking I betrayed her," Johnny said. "I don't want to put her through that."

"Maybe she'll call," Tina said hopefully.

"If she calls either one of you, please tell her it was a misunderstanding. Tell her to call me," Johnny pleaded.

"I will, I promise," Mike said.

"Me too."

The three moved inside Mike's apartment and Mike and Tina set out making dinner while Johnny sat down on the couch. His mind was racing, maybe he could find out where her last foster home was and the names of the kids with her. He voiced his thoughts out loud.

"They don't release foster care information, Johnny," Tina said. "They wouldn't even confirm to you she was in foster care."

Johnny dropped his head down into his hands. This was going to be a very long six-weeks, if she didn't call.

E

"Ashley, it's so good to see you," Jack said, as he moved to wrap his friend in a hug.

Ashley let herself be enveloped in Jack's arms and closed her eyes; enjoying the sense of comfort that came with the embrace. Jack was a big guy, 6' 4" and easily 250 lbs. of solid muscle; Ashley was sure anyone that crossed him in his role of police officer probably viewed him with fear. But, to Ashley, he was a big teddy bear.

"Jack, thank you for letting come crash with you," Ashley's voice was muffled as she was still pressed in closely to her friend.

"Anytime, I can't believe I haven't seen you in almost 2 years. You came to see me just before you left to go to North Carolina to be a firefighter; and I haven't seen or heard from you since," Jack said.

"I'm so sorry, Jack," Ashley said, her voice carrying the guilt his statement brought her.

"Hey, no, no, don't do that. There were no accusations there, Ashley. It was just a sentiment that it's been a long time and I missed you. I'm glad you came and I can't wait to catch up," Jack said. "Why don't you pop your trunk and I'll get your luggage."

Ashley moved to unlock the trunk of her car. Jack grabbed both suitcases and headed inside, jerking his head that she should follow him.

Ashley followed closely behind, still feeling bad that she hadn't reached out to Jack in so long. He had always been very good to her.

Jack carried her bags to a back bedroom. "I put you in here, it's right across the hall from my room; in case you need anything."

"Thanks, Jack," Ashley looked up at him, and then looked down at the carpet, feeling her eyes start to sting.

"Hey," Jack moved to wrap her in a hug again. "No tears."

"I'm really sorry, I haven't called, Jack. Life was such a mess, and then it was so great, and now…," Ashley just shook her head.

Jack took her hand and led her to the living room. He directed her to sit on the couch, and he went into the kitchen and got her a glass of water. "Do you remember the first day you came to Harper House?" Jack said, referring to the group foster home they had lived in together.

"How could I forget it," Ashley said, taking a sip of the water. "My chances of ever being part of a family again ended that day. Then, that jerk Kip, he grabbed me in the backyard and hit me in the stomach. He shoved me down and was about to kick me when you grabbed him by the collar and threw him halfway across the yard. You helped me up and told Kip if he ever touched me again, you'd kick his ass."

Jack smiled at her memory of the day. "True. But, that wasn't what I was thinking about."

Ashley tilted her head and gave him a quizzical look.

"We were sitting on the porch later that night, looking at the stars. I asked you, what friends you had made at your other foster homes. You told me you didn't have any friends. You said you never stayed anywhere long enough."

Ashley gave him a small smile. "You told me friendship had nothing to do with time. It was a connection that couldn't be explained, and couldn't be broken by time or distance."

"I meant that Ashley. We don't have to talk all the time for me to still be your friend, and you to still be mine. Stop feeling guilty for living your life. When you needed a friend, you still knew to call me, and I'm still here."

Ashley felt the damn holding back her tears break and she started to sob. Jack took the glass and moved to sit next to her on the couch, wrapping her in his arms and holding her close.

After several minutes, Ashley pulled back and wiped at her eyes. "I thought I found someone I could be a family with," she whispered. "But, it was just a lie."

"How do you know?"

"I overheard him tell a mutual friend he was in love with someone else," Ashley said.

"I'm sorry, Ashley. I know broken hearts really hurt. But, I heard two good things in that statement. One, you said mutual friend, so you've finally made some friends other than me," Jack teased.

Ashley couldn't help but chuckle. "And two?"

"Two, you were letting yourself be open to the idea of having a family of your own. That's a huge statement coming from you. After everything you went through, I never thought you'd let anyone get that close to you. It may not have worked out this time; but the fact you let yourself be open to the possibility is huge."

"For all the good it did me," Ashley said quietly.

"C'mon," Jack said, getting up from the couch and pulling her to her feet. "You need a good night's sleep. Tomorrow I'll walk you all over town, you'll get some fresh air, good food and a lot of laughter. You'll feel a ton better tomorrow night and we can talk again."

Jack held her hand as he walked her down the hallway. He stopped at the door to the bedroom she would be using and kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, sweet Ashley."

He stood looking at the door for a few seconds after she closed it. He knew there was probably a lot that had happened over the last two years, but he still saw the same thing he'd seen when he first met her eight years before. She'd been beaten up, but she was still standing. She was a lot stronger than she even knew.


	7. Chapter 7

"Jose, there's a buncha fuzz on the street. They parked cruisers at both ends and are walking the sidewalk, hassling the crew," Frank said, bursting into the apartment, without bothering to knock.

Jose was laying on the couch with Marisol, bodies entwined and clothing in various stages of undress. "What the…," Jose said.

"You need to get down there now. You stay up here and everyone's gonna think you're afraid," Frank pushed.

Jose stood up and started buttoning up his shirt. Marisol adjusted her clothing to be more presentable. Frank couldn't help letting his eyes wander over her body while she moved to pull her skirt down and button her shirt.

"Whatdya mean the fuzz are hassling the crew?" Jose said, heading toward the door.

"There stopping everyone, asking 'em what they're doin'; questioning packages that they're carrying. It's bad, man. It's like they're here to do a round up." Frank said, following Jose as he walked out the door.

Marisol got up and moved over to the window. Frank wasn't kidding; there were probably 5 police cars on the street with two officers per car. The Officers were slowly walking up and down both sides of the street, stopping and talking to the young men hanging around.

Marisol watched as Jose and Frank exited the building and the police officers all started to move toward Jose. Jose took a defiant stance and started berating the police officers for targeting them because they were Hispanic. Voices were quickly raised and Marisol cringed as she saw Jose take a swing at a young officer. The police had him down on the ground in a matter of seconds and were slapping the handcuffs on him.

Frank and a few of the other boys quickly jumped in to defend their leader and a scuffle started on the street. In seconds, more police cruisers with lights flashing were pulling onto the street. It didn't take long before Jose, Frank and two other members of C-14 were cuffed and loaded into police cars.

Marisol watched as the remaining officers loaded in their cars and soon the street was empty and quiet. Even the remaining gang members had disappeared. Marisol moved to get her purse. She knew she would have bail out Jose and Frank, at the very least.

E

"Is that your idea of putting pressure on Jose from the outside?"

"Calm down, Detective. We've got Jose exactly where we want him. You're putting pressure on him internally and we're putting pressure on him with incidents like today. Even we hear tensions are high in the C-14 gang. If we don't break Jose soon, another gang will probably go in and try to overthrow him."

"That isn't the goal of all this. The goal is to catch Jose dirty and put him behind bars for a long time," the detective argued.

"You keep doing your job; let me worry about the end game," the Captain for the Organized Crime Taskforce said.

"What about Marco? Word spread fast that some guys tried to shoot him at the station. I really thought we'd have Jose for their murders for acting without his approval. I'm still not convinced he won't move on them, but he hasn't yet and he hasn't given any orders, that I've heard."

"We're keeping a close eye on Marco."

The detective raised an eyebrow.

"Are you doubting my judgement?" The Captain asked.

"I just don't want to see an innocent man hurt or killed because we decided to use him as a pawn," the detective said.

E

Jose walked toward Marisol, the police officer standing directly behind him. "You bailed out Frank too, didn't you?" Jose asked her, not seeing his number 1 anywhere.

"They're getting him," Marisol said. "I didn't know what to do about Hector and Juan, do you want me to bail them out?"

"Yeah, get them too," Jose said.

Marisol turned back to the officer standing at the counter.

"What is bail for the other two men?"

It was several minutes before Hector and Juan joined them, but still no Frank.

"Where the hell is Frank?" Jose questioned loudly.

The officer behind the counter ignored his outburst.

"Hey, Pig, I'm talkin' to you, you deaf or somethin'," Jose said, moving over to the counter and slamming his hands down. "Where's Frank?"

The officer coolly looked up. "He'll be out in a minute."

As if summoned by the words, Frank moved out into the hall.

"What took so long," Jose questioned Frank.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing. I've been sitting in that cell over an hour."

"Why didn't you come out right behind me?" Jose said, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Frank.

"How am I supposed to know? I was cooling my heels back there waiting to get bailed out," Frank spat back, not liking the look on Jose's face.

Jose paused for just a minute. "Let's go," he said, grabbing Marisol's arm and moving toward the parking lot.

"This is completely loco," Jose hissed as he moved toward the car. "They can't possibly believe I'm gonna let them get away with this. Frank, you're in charge of finding the rat in our midst. I want the undercover cop found, pronto. Are we clear?" Jose said, pushing Marisol into the car, so she would be sitting between him and Frank; who slid behind the wheel. Hector and Juan getting into the back.

"What about Marco?" Frank asked.

"Marisol's gonna help me handle him," Jose sneered.

"What?" Marisol asked.

"I had some time to think, waiting for you to bail me out. Marco's been living it up, thinkin' he played me for the fool. Now it's time to give him a dose of his own medicine. You're gonna befriend him. Get him to think you wanna leave me and the gang. Flirt with him, play it up real good. Then, when the time is right, you'll lure him right where I want him to get the final revenge," Jose laughed at his plan.

Frank said nothing as he pulled up to the apartment complex and Marisol, Hector and Juan got out and headed into the apartment building.

"Do you think using Marisol to lure this Marco dude is such a good idea, Jose? She's never done anything like that; can you trust her to not tell him what's up? She did hug him when she first saw him again. There may still be some loyalty from when he ran with her brother."

"Don't worry about Marisol. I'll have her hating Marco Lopez so much; it'll be surprising if she doesn't kill him before I do," Jose rubbed his hands together as he thought over the plan he had devised while waiting for Marisol to bail him out. Normally, he'd have been pissed about being stuck in the holding cell; but this time had been time well spent. He should thank the cops for giving him time to plot his revenge.

"You just worry about finding the cop. Who knows, maybe we can even find a way to take care of the cop and Marco in one fantastic display of C-14 power."

Jose headed up to the apartment to explain his master plan to Marisol. When he got up there he found her in the kitchen, starting to make dinner.

"Don't ya wanna hear my great plan," Jose said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

Marisol was quiet.

"Whatsa matter babe, don't you want to pay Marco back for killing your brother?"

Marisol continued to stir the spaghetti noodles she had dropped into the pot of boiling water.

"Marco slit his throat, from ear to ear and left he like a gutted fish to die on a dirty hotel floor. The cut was deep, but not enough to kill him instantly. He would have bled out, knowing he was dying, barely able to get oxygen," Jose started describing the scene of Rico's murder.

"Stop it!" Marisol screamed, lifting her hands to cover her ears.

"Baby, I'm just trying to remind you that this man has to pay for what he did to Rico. He can't be allowed to keep taunting us with his perfect life. We've got to make him pay for killing Rico, for disrespecting C-14. You're with me aren't you, babe?" Jose asked and he pulled Marisol into an embrace.

"Yes, I'm with you," Marisol whispered.

"Good, so this is how I think we should do this. I've got some people that have been watchin' Marco on the side for me. They've learned some places where he hangs out, the location of his gym, his church, where he plays soccer. I'll give you those addresses. You gotta go and find him. Start talking to him. Tell him how much you are realizing you miss him. Let him try to talk you into leaving C-14, let him tell you his lies. After a bit, you start acting like you're falling for his lies; falling for him. Let him kiss and hug on you a little bit; start thinking he's gonna win your heart. Then, when the time is right, you'll ask him to come pick you up to take you away from me and C-14. But when he comes, I'll be the one waitin' for him," Jose was acting like a kid on Christmas morning. His eyes were bright and his speech was said quickly and with a lot of passion.

"What if Marco isn't interested in me?" Marisol asked.

"He's got a pulse, Babe. He'll be interested." Jose assured her. Marisol moved to check the spaghetti, but was instantly stopped when Jose grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back. "Just don't forget who you actually belong to."

"I won't, Jose," Marisol said through clenched teeth as she tried to keep her balance and avoid having a handful of her long, dark hair ripped out of her head.

E

Chet quietly opened the refrigerator door. "You don't have to be quiet; I'm awake," Marco said from the sofa.

"Trouble sleeping?"

"Ever since I agreed to work at 116," Marco said, swinging his legs over the side of the couch and sitting up. He scrubbed his face with his hands.

"What don't you come fishin' today with my brother and I? We have extra rods," Chet suggested.

"Thanks, man, I appreciate it, really. But, shark fishing just isn't my thing. I think I'm gonna go for a run, maybe hit the gym; get out some of this pent up tension," Marco said.

"Just be careful. Maybe let Lieutenant Crockett know where you'll be running," Chet suggested.

Marco exhaled loudly.

"Look, you need to watch your back," Chet started.

"Don't start," Marco stood up. "I'm sick to death of not being able to stay in my own place and having everyone hovering and watching me all the time," Marco snapped.

"We're just watchin' out for you, Pal. These are some dangerous people after you." Chet argued.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'm just used to bein' able to come and go as I please, like a grown man. Not being babysat like a helpless child." Marco bent over and picked up his jacket, slipping on his shoes. "Look, I just need to get some time to myself. I'll be back tonight." Marco opened the door and left the apartment.

He went back to his place and took a shower, got dressed in running clothes, but then just took a minute to sit down on the couch and enjoy the quiet. He jumped at the shrill sound of the phone.

"Geez," Marco blew out a breath and got up to answer the phone. His nerves must really be on edge if a ringing phone could make him nearly jump out of his skin. "Hello," Marco barked into the phone, upset it had scared him.

"Marco, are you okay?" Ashley's concerned voice, came over the line.

"Hey, Ash. Yeah, I'm fine. How are you feeling?" Marco said, remembering she had missed her last shift saying she was sick. He also knew something else had been going on because Mike had been really concerned and upset with Johnny.

"I'm okay, Marco. Just taking a little time to rest before starting the academy. Is there anything new with the C-14 gang?"

Marco knew Ashley wasn't telling him something and he didn't want to talk about C-14, Jose, Marisol, cops or anything related to his troubles either; so he was willing to allow her to not talk about hers.

"Everything's quiet. I'm actually just getting ready to go for a run," Marco said.

"That sounds nice. I'm getting ready to go hiking," Ashley said.

"You alone?" Marco asked, concerned if she was hiking by herself.

"I'm with a friend," Ashley said.

Marco hesitated. He didn't want to pry; but Ashley was definitely being evasive. "You nearby? Maybe I could join you for your hike?"

Ashley laughed. "We'd be waiting a really long time. I'm in northern California." Ashley heard Jack moving down the hallway. "Look Marco, I gotta go. You stay safe and I'll call you again soon."

Ashley hung up the phone and turned to look at Jack. "I'll pay you for the long distance call. I just have a friend that's been goin' through a rough time and I wanted to check on him."

Jack smiled at her. "It's not a problem, Ashley. Why don't I cook us some bacon and eggs before we head out?"

"I'd love some coffee, first," Ashley smiled.

"That I can do too," Jack said, moving toward the coffee pot.

"So, what's going on with your friend?" Jack asked, measuring out the coffee grounds.

"Marco," Ashley said, and hesitated just briefly.

"You don't have to tell me," Jack said, sensing her hesitation.

"No, it's fine. Being a police officer, you may even have some suggestions. Marco is one of the firemen at the station where I've been working as a paramedic the last 5 months. He's also been donating a lot of his personal time to help me train for the academy. He's really been helping learn how to handle the different hoses. Not just carrying them, but how to lay them out and work in confined spaces. Plus, he's teaching me how to speak Spanish and cook some of the most amazing Mexican dishes. In fact, if we get time to go to the grocery store today I'll buy some ingredients and cook you an amazing dinner tomorrow night."

"Can't wait," Jack said, cracking several eggs into a pan to make scrambled eggs. The smell of frying bacon was already filling the kitchen.

"Anyway, Marco and I volunteered at another station in this area that has some pretty heavy gang activity. Marco ran into some gang members that knew him. Turns out when he was younger Marco used to run with a gang called C-14."

"I've heard of them," Jack said. "They're bad news, ties to the Mexican Mafia."

"They thought Marco was dead. Now that the leader knows he's not, he's causing trouble. I'm really worried about him."

"From what I've heard about C-14, you should be," Jack said.

Ashley bit her lip.

"Hey, if this guy, Marco, is a fire fighter, I'm sure he's able to handle himself. It isn't your job to save the world, remember?"

Ashley grew quiet, her mind going back to the past. "Have you ever heard anything about Angie?" Ashley asked, not sure she wanted the answer.

Angie had been a girl that arrived at the group foster home a year after Ashley had gotten there. She was a few months younger, and had been through some pretty bad things. Her mom was a drug addict and had bailed on her when she was a baby. Her dad worked sporadically, but spent all the money on beer and drugs. The last place she had lived with her dad had been a rundown trailer with no heat and no carpet. She'd fallen in with the wrong crowd and had spent some time in Juvenile Hall. When she was ready to be released her dad said he didn't want her back, so she'd been sent to the foster home. Ashley had thought she could help her stay out of trouble and get her life on a better path.

"Don't start, Ashley. Angie was not your fault. You couldn't fix what her parent's screwed up," Jack said, moving over to her to grasp her upper arms and force her to look at him.

"I know," Ashley said quietly, not sounding convinced.

"She made her own choices. You needed to worry about yourself," Jack insisted.

"Maybe, if I'd of…,"

"Stop, Ashley," Jack said, firmly.

"You've heard something about her, haven't you?"

Jack sighed and turned back to the bacon, taking his time flipping over each piece.

"Jack."

"She started working as a hooker. She had a kid, that social services quickly took away," Jack said, starting to spoon the scrambled eggs onto two plates. He paused, still holding the pan in the air. "She was killed by one of her johns."

Jack took the bacon out of the skillet and put pieces on each of their plates. He turned and sat down a plate in front of Ashley. "She made her choices, Ashley. She had the same opportunities that you and I had to change her life. She chose her path."

"What makes us different from her, Jack?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. Hope, a belief that life has to be better than what we had so far."

"Do you still have hope, Jack?"

"I did," Jack said. "I was engaged. She was really something special. She was a dispatcher for the police department and had this amazing 9-year old daughter. I really thought things were going well," Jack paused and looked out the kitchen window.

"And then?"

"The daughter, Kimberly, was getting picked on at school. I taught her a few things to say to try to diffuse the situation, but also taught her some fighting moves. You know, like I taught you."

"I sure do. I've used them on more than one date," Ashley said, trying to get Jack to smile.

He let out a soft chuckle. "Anyway, the kid started picking on her on the playground and Kim ended up having to defend herself. When Alice found out I'd taught Kim how to fight she was furious. She said she should've known better than to think she could have a family with someone that had never had a family. She said, as a parent, it was our job to protect our kids; not send them out to fend for themselves," Jack said, his face looking miserable.

"But, she needed to know how to stand up for herself."

"That's what I thought too; but what do we know, Ashley? We didn't have parents to defend us or stand up for us? We only had ourselves to depend on. But, we were discarded, kid's no one wanted. I certainly didn't want Kim to turn out like me," Jack shook his head. "No, Alice was right. People like me shouldn't have families. We don't know how to behave."

"You mean people like us," Ashley said. "Maybe Johnny did me a favor falling in love with someone else. I don't know the first thing about bein' a mom; and he would've definitely wanted kids. "

Ashley and Jack continued to pick at their breakfast in silence for several minutes. "So what," Ashley said suddenly. "So people like us shouldn't have kids. There's too many people in the world already. You'll be the best police officer out there because you don't have to worry about leaving anyone behind if something happens to you. And, in a few months, I'll be the best fire fighter out there for the same reason. Who needs to be tied down with a family and worried about leaving some kids without a mother or father."

"Here, here!" Jack said, raising his coffee cup.

They clinked cups. "C'mon, let's get out and enjoy this beautiful day," Ashley said, carrying her plate over to the garbage can and dumping the uneaten food. She proceeded to wash the dishes, while Jack cleaned up the rest of the kitchen.

They headed out for their hike with smiles on their faces, but a heaviness in their hearts. Each one wondering, we're they really destined to be alone for the rest of their lives because their childhoods had been spent alone.


	8. Chapter 8

Marco rounded the corner and headed toward the park. He'd been jogging about 3 miles and was finally starting to feel like himself again. He slowed as he noticed a woman sitting on a picnic table not too far ahead of where he was at. Her back was too him, but he knew it was Marisol.

Marco veered to his right and headed toward the table. Marisol turned hearing the footsteps approaching. She wasn't sure if she was happy to see Marco, or saddened, knowing what she had to do.

She smiled at him. "Hola, Marco."

"Hola, Marisol. Cómo estás?"

Marisol sat quietly, looking down at her hands.

"What's wrong, Marisol? Are you hurt?" Marco asked, moving to get a closer look at her. Her previous injuries were healing and he didn't see any new ones.

"I'm not hurt."

Marco sat down next to her. They sat together in silence for several minutes.

"The police arrested Jose yesterday," Marisol said, quietly.

"Is he is jail?"

"No. I had to go down and bail him out."

"You didn't have to," Marco said, with a smirk.

"Yes, yes, I did. He's a dangerous man, Marco. I belong to him. I've got to do what he expects," Marisol looked at him, her eyes glistening with tears.

"You don't have to stay with him Marisol. You can leave," Marco said, hope already in his voice.

Marisol jumped off the picnic table and walked a few feet. She spun around and faced Marco. "And go where?" She flung her arms out. "Look around you, Marco. Where am I gonna go? This is the only life I know? To escape it, you had to pretend to die. Is that what I'm supposed to do? Pretend to be dead and disappear? To what? To who? You still had your family, still have your family," Marisol corrected. "I'm alone. My parents have long since passed away. Rico's gone. I don't have anyone."

"You have me," Marco said, looking into her eyes.

He got off the picnic table and walked toward her. "I'm right here, Marisol. I'll help you."

"You killed Rico," she whispered.

Marco reached out and touched her cheek. "You know I didn't," he said softly, moving closer to her.

"I'm afraid to even think about what my life would be like outside of C-14; away from Jose."

Marco thought for a moment. "Let me show you what your life could be like. Spend the day with me."

"Doing what?" Marisol asked, her voice weary.

"Just having a good day; like normal people."

"Doing what?"

"I don't know. I need to go home and get cleaned up. But, then we can go to Griffith Park. Have you ever been to the Observatory?"

Marisol tilted her head to the side, "Seriously? When would someone like me ever go to the Observatory?"

Marco laughed. "You'll love it; I promise."

Marisol looked around.

"Will Jose miss you?"

Marisol shook her head. "No. He's got some business to attend to today. He told me to entertain myself for the day. I'd have to be back by 8 or 9 tonight though."

Marco glanced at his watch. "That gives us almost 10 hours. Come with me, Marisol. Let me show you what life away from C-14 can be like." Marco reached out his hand.

"I don't have to jog do I?" Marisol said, eyeing his hand suspiciously.

"No, I promise, no running."

"Okay," Marisol said, reaching out and letting Marco take her hand.

E

Jose and Frank walked down the alley toward the pool hall. "Wait out here," Jose said, as they approached the door.

"Do you think that's such a good idea?" Frank asked.

"What?" Jose turned, surprised Frank would question him.

"Look, the guys are still pissed about the way you're handling Marco and the rumor that a cop is in our midst. I think I should go in with you, to watch your back."

"The day I can't handle the business of C-14 is the day I die," Jose said, leaving Frank standing in the alleyway as he walked into the building.

Frank looked around and wondered if he should slip in anyway. Jose would be furious; but it may be worth it. He glanced at the door, unsure of what to do.

Jose moved over toward the bar. The bartender came toward him. "Jose, what can I getcha?"

"I'll take a shot of Jack."

Jose looked around the room. The men hadn't stopped shooting pool, but were stealing glances at him. For just one moment, Jose felt his confidence waiver; maybe he should've brought Frank in with him. Instead he gulped down the drink and slammed the glass down on the bar. Everyone stopped what they were doing, conversations ceased and all eyes turned to Jose. "Who thinks they can run C-14 better than me? Now's your chance to take your best shot," Jose challenged the group.

At first, no one moved. All eyes were on Jose, and no one spoke. Jose was just about to speak and turn the conversation to his reason for being there when Mateo stepped away from the pool tables. "I can do it better. The pigs are at the door, Jose, and you let one of them get into the ranks. This Marco fool is thumbing his nose at C-14, and you've done nothing. I'd have slit both their throats by now. Eres un pollo," Mateo said, moving toward Jose, a pool cue still in his hand.

Jose smirked. "Palabres grandes de un hombre pequeno."

Mateo swung the pool stick, but Jose ducked and rushed him, knocking him into a table and they both crashed to the ground. The two men rolled around on the ground, with fists swinging. Another man jumped in, pulling Jose off Mateo and throwing him across the bar. Diego slammed his fist into Jose's stomach, and Jose doubled over. As Diego went in for a second hit, he felt a kick in his kidneys and dropped to his knees.

Jose used the reprieve to reach up to the bar and grab an empty bottle of beer, smashing it against the side of a chair and creating a weapon. He looked up to see Frank throwing another punch at the man that had pulled Jose off Mateo. Jose used the beer bottle as a couple of other men approached him and Frank. The men that had been standing to the side knew they had a decision to make. Believe that Mateo would win this confrontation and go against Jose and Frank to prove loyalty to Mateo. Or defend Jose and stop this internal coup.

Men began to choose up sides, the majority choosing to side with Jose. Mateo and his small band of followers were soon left in a heap on the floor. Broken furniture was strewn about and the remaining men standing were breathing heavily and bleeding badly. Jose could hear sirens approaching in the distance.

"Let's get outta here," Jose said, heading toward the door.

Frank looked down at the heap. Some of the men were beaten badly and may not survive. He resisted the urge to check any of them and walked out with Jose and the small gang. He got behind the wheel of the car, nearly running into Squad 116 as he rounded the corner. Frank swerved up on to the sidewalk to avoid the collision and just kept going.

Peterson and Johnson jumped out of the squad and headed into the building. The bartender was just emerging from the backroom where he had escaped during the brawl.

Bryan Peterson knelt down next to one of the men who had been badly cut and searched for a pulse. "He's dead."

Johnson looked up from the victim he was assessing and just shook his head. Another senseless death due to gang violence.

Bryan looked over at the bartender. "Who did this?"

"I didn't see nothin'," he said.

"C'mon, this man is dead. I know you saw the fight," Peterson argued.

"No, no, I didn't see it. I went in the back to get some more whiskey. I heard all the commotion and called the police. I didn't see nothin'."

Peterson rolled his eye and looked toward the door as two police officers walked into the bar. "I've got one dead so far, and a witness that amazingly saw nothing."

"They never do," one of the officers replied.

E

"The Observatory opened in 1935," Marco said, as he guided Marisol into the building.

"Have you been here before?" Marisol asked.

"A few times. They have different exhibits and shows. I like learning about space. This is pretty much the only place you can see stars in LA," Marco joked. "But, I learned how to recognize all the constellations and when I go skiing, at night I can find the real ones. It's really amazing."

Marisol let Marco lead her into the planetarium and they chose seats near the back. As the space filled and the lights dimmed, Marco let his arm slip around Marisol's shoulders and she leaned into him. Together they watched a couple of shows.

Marisol blinked as her eyes tried to adjust to the sunlight after sitting in the dark for a couple of hours. "That was really nice, Marco. Thanks for taking me."

"Whatyda say we grab a bite to eat; there's a hot dog vendor right over there. We can get a hot dog and some chips and then walk some of the trails," Marco suggested.

Marisol shrugged.

After Marco had paid for the food, they moved to sit under a tree and eat. "Still trying to show me how great life can be away from Jose?"

Marco smiled. "How am I doin' so far?"

Marisol smiled at him. "Marco, getting out of the gang is a lot more than trips to the Observatory and picnics. And I think you know that."

Marco's face grew serious. "I do know that Marisol. Leaving wasn't easy for me. When my dad first told me that they told everyone I had died and they were sending me to live with my grandma, so much went through my head. First, I didn't want to leave my brothers and sisters. But, I didn't want to leave C-14 either. I never told my parents that, but the members of C-14 were my family too. We watched each other's back, we had a responsibility to one another. I felt like I was cheating them. I felt like I was abandoning you," Marco said the last sentence softly, looking down at his hot dog wrapper.

"You did abandon me," Marisol said, looking over the field of green grass.

"Marisol," Marco felt his heart sink.

"How could you leave and let me think you were dead?" Marisol asked, turning back to look at him. "Do you know how hard that was on me? You and Rico were my whole world and suddenly you were both gone."

"I wanted to tell you Marisol. I really did; but my dad convinced me that if you knew the truth and it got out that I was actually alive, they'd punish you."

"Is that really why you didn't tell me, Marco? Or was it because you couldn't face me knowing you slit Rico's throat and left him to die?"

"I did NOT kill Rico!" Marco said, his voice rising.

Marisol jumped to her feet and took a few steps away from Marco.

"I'm sorry, Marisol. I didn't mean to yell," Marco said, quickly rising to stand. "I need you to believe me. I didn't hurt Rico. I went there to stop him from killing Jorge. I knew Rico wasn't a killer; but he was so caught up in the gang. That's the only reason I was there Marisol, to stop Rico."

Marco started to pace.

"What happened that night, Marco?"

Marco hesitated, not sure he wanted to tell Marisol all the dirty details.

"I need to know," she insisted.

"Rico had changed his mind; he didn't want to kill Jorge. He and Jose were arguing when I found them. When I broke in, a fight broke out. Rico was holding a gun, but Jose tried to take it from him. I jumped on Jose, but he was a bigger than I was and he pinned me to the ground. He was hitting me and Rico put the gun down to jump into the fight. We knocked over an oil lamp while we were fighting and a fire broke out. Jose got the gun and shot Rico in the leg. Rico took off to get away. Jose and I continued to struggle for the gun. I managed to get the gun from Jose and threw it out the window."

"Is that when you got shot?" Marisol interrupted.

Marco shrugged, "I guess."

"But what happened to Rico?"

"Jose hit me, and I think I lost consciousness for a little bit. When I came to, the fire was spreading fast. I tried to find Rico, but I never could. I don't even know how I got out of the apartment complex."

"So you never saw Jose kill Rico?"

"If I'd seen it, Marisol, I would have turned Jose over to the cops."

Marisol looked away. "Jose swears you killed Rico. He says that Rico was going to go through with killing Jorge, that he was loyal to C-14 and was going to make Jorge pay for the drive-by shooting that killed so many of our friends. He says you broke in and you and Rico started fighting for the gun. He says the gun went off and you were shot, and that Rico pulled back, not wanting to kill you. Jose says, you got the gun and shot Rico in the leg. Jose says he jumped on you and you fought for the gun and he got it away from you and threw it out the window. Jose says he knocked you unconscious and took off to go help Rico and deal with Jorge. He says you started the fire to distract everyone and that you found Rico and slit his throat. Probably as payback for shooting you."

"Marisol, why would I have gone there in the first place, if I wasn't trying to stop Rico?"

"Jose says you were working with the 18th Street Gang and actually helped plan the shooting against C-14," Marisol said, looking Marco in the eye.

"Do you really believe I could do something like that Marisol?" Marco asked, shocked at what she had just said.

"I didn't think you could leave and let me believe you were dead," Marisol said, crossing her arms.

They stood there looking at each other for several minutes, neither one saying anything, both lost in their own thoughts. Marco's head was spinning, he thought today would be a great way to show Marisol what her life could be like away from Jose. Instead, he was on trial for his actions all those years ago. The hard part being, he now felt like all the reasons for why he'd let everyone believe he was dead were just excuses covering his cowardice and Marisol stood their looking at him, seeing him for the coward that he was. Marisol had so much she wanted to tell Marco, but just couldn't. She felt betrayed by him for leaving her all those years ago without a word. For not trusting her enough to keep his secret safe.

Marisol looked at her watch. "I should get back. Jose will be back soon and I don't want him to send people looking for me."

"Marisol," Marco started, not sure what he was going to say.

"It was a nice day, Marco. But, I'm where I belong," Marisol's voice had a finality in it that Marco knew not to argue with her. She was saying good-bye and he wasn't sure how to take that.

E

"You got in pretty late last night," Chet commented as he and Marco loaded up in his van to head to the Station.

"Drop it, Chet," Marco snapped, he was not in the mood to listen to his friend. He had barely slept, Marisol's words continually running through his head, "I'm where I belong." He'd spent all night trying to figure out how to convince her that she didn't belong with Jose, and arguing with himself that it wasn't because he wanted her with him. After all, he barely knew her. But, he couldn't get the image of her out of his head. Her long dark hair that reflected the sunlight, her dark brown eyes that showed so many emotions, and her full lips, painted in red lipstick. There was no denying that she had grown into a beautiful woman, and the protectiveness he had felt over her when she was a young girl was quickly returning. Only this time, it wasn't fueled by brotherly concern, but the desire that is shared between a man and a woman.

Chet looked over, surprised by the stern reproach in Marco's tone.

"Sorry," Marco mumbled seeing Chet's surprised look.

"So whatdya do?" Chet tried again.

"Chet, I mean it. I'm here, Jose didn't track me down. I just spent some time by myself," Marco wasn't sure why he lied to Chet. He didn't owe anyone any explanations for what he did; but he just wanted to keep last night to himself. Maybe because it didn't go as well as I had hoped, Marco rationalized to himself.

"Okay, okay," Chet said. They drove the rest of the way to the station in silence. When they entered the back door of the station, Johnny was sitting on the couch in the dayroom with Henry resting his head on his lap. Johnny was absentmindedly stroking the Beagles head, his eyes a million miles away.

Chet just moved toward the locker room with Marco, not wanting to deal with another testy co-worker before he'd even gotten changed into his uniform.

Roy was just finishing pinning his badge onto his uniform shirt when Chet and Marco entered the locker room. "Hey, how'd you enjoy your days off?"

"Watch it Roy, Marco'll bite your head off for asking such a nosy question," Chet warned, opening his locker.

"Shut up, Chet," Marco said, slipping off his shoes and starting to unbutton his pants.

"I take it the days weren't all fun and games."

"How would you like it if you were never allowed a moment alone. If everyone was constantly asking you what you are doing, where are you going, who you are seeing?" Marco threw his pants into the locker and grabbed his uniform pants out of his bag.

"We're just…,"

"Worried about me," Marco said, cutting Roy off. "I'm getting it from everyone. Even Ashley called me from her vacation to check up on me."

"You talked to Ashley?" Roy asked, closing his locker.

"Yeah, why?"

"Johnny's been going crazy trying to figure out how to get in touch with her. She misunderstood something he said and he desperately needs to talk to her," Roy explained.

"I didn't know that. What happened?" Marco asked, removing his shirt.

"Ashley overheard Johnny and I talking on my deck the night before her last shift. She heard Johnny say that he had fallen in love, he hadn't meant to, but it's how he felt. Then, Johnny said he needed to talk to Mike because Mike had warned him not to hurt Ashley. Ashley thought Johnny meant he had fallen in love with another girl and Mike was going to be mad because he was going to break Ashley's heart. She still thinks Johnny is in love with someone else and we think that's why she left. Johnny is desperate to fix things with her," Roy explained.

"Is Johnny in love with someone else? I thought he and Ashley would end up getting together," Marco asked, confused by Roy's explanation.

Roy shook his head. "No, Johnny is in love with Ashley, but she misunderstood. Mike hadn't wanted Johnny to date Ashley that's why Johnny was worried about Mike being upset."

"Why doesn't Mike want Johnny to date Ashley? I thought they worked out their issues?" Marco asked, slipping on his belt.

"They did, but Mike feels Ashley should concentrate on the Academy and isn't strong enough for a relationship yet. Proven by the fact she ran when she thought Johnny was in love with someone else," Roy explained.

"I think I have a headache," Marco said, trying to grasp everything Roy was saying. "How come this is the first I'm hearing about this?"

Roy shrugged. "You've got a lot going on, Pal. No one wanted to add a bunch of drama to your already full plate."

Marco clenched his fist. "I'm not a child that needs to be protected, Roy. Everyone needs to stop tiptoeing around me. I'm a grown man. I can take care of myself. I'm sick to death of everyone acting like I need a babysitter. I wish I'd never told you guys about what happened because now your treating me like I can't handle my own business. I was sixteen when all this went down and I let my parents make my decisions for me. But, I'm not sixteen and I will handle my own damn business," Marco exploded, slamming his locker shut.

Roy just stood there, his eyes wide and mouth slightly hanging open at Marco's outburst. Marco turned to see Johnny, Mike, Chet and Captain Stanley standing in the small hallway that connected the locker room to the dorms. They had come in when they heard Marco's voice rising.

"We're not trying to treat you like a child, Marco," Captain Stanley began.

"Then why didn't anyone tell me about Johnny and Ashley?"

"What about Johnny and Ashley?" Chet asked, his eyebrows knitting together as he looked at Johnny, trying to understand the direction the conversation was taking.

"Yeah, what about Johnny and Ashley?" Captain Stanley asked, his eyes narrowing and his lips pursing into a straight line. He'd been very clear with both of them there was not to be any hanky panky while she was working in the Station.

"You guys don't know?" Marco asked.

"No one was supposed to know," Johnny said, giving Roy a dirty look.

"What about you and Ashley, Johnny?" Captain Stanley pressed.

"Uh, nothin', Cap. Honest. Nothing was going on. We both know what you said and we did not break your rules, I swear," Johnny said, placing his hand on his chest, trying to look innocent.

"John…," Captain Stanley started out, his voice stern. But, he was interrupted by the sounding of the klaxons.

"Squad 51, man down, 5238 Worton Dr., cross street Oak Grove. Time out, 8:02."

"Saved by the bell," Chet said.

"Shut up, Chet," Johnny and Roy said in unison, as they moved out the door toward the bay.

Translation – using Google Translate:

Eres un pollo – You're a chicken

Palabres grandes de un hombre pequeno – Big words from a little man.


	9. Chapter 9

Roy pulled the squad to stop near the curb. A woman was standing over a man who was sitting on the ground next to a ladder, that was laying on its side, partially on top of some bushes.

Johnny walked over the man, while Roy grabbed the supplies out of the squad compartment.

"What happened?" Johnny asked, as he approached.

"He fell off the ladder," the woman said, looking up at Johnny and giving him a flirtatious smile as she took in his trim physique, and dark hair.

Johnny knelt beside the guy. "Where does it hurt?"

The man looked over at the woman. "Karen, would you mind getting me a glass of water?"

Karen looked at him, looked over at Johnny and then back again. "Oh, um, sure." She got up and walked toward the house, as Roy approached.

"My ego's hurt more than anything else," the guy said. "I was trying to get her kid's Frisbee off the roof. I had leaned too far and tipped the ladder over."

"Trying to impress the lady?" Johnny smiled at him.

"Lot of good it did me," the man said, thinking of the way Karen had looked at Johnny.

Roy looked over at the kids playing with the Frisbee on the side of the house. "At least you got the Frisbee down."

The guy gave a small smile.

"You're sure you're not hurt anywhere?" Johnny asked, he was feeling down the guy's legs.

"Ouch," the guy said as Johnny's hand squeezed his right ankle.

"That hurt?"

"Just a little, I think I sprained it when I fell. Look guys, I'm fine really. If it gives me any trouble, I'll follow-up with my own doctor."

"Why don't you just let us take a look at it, make sure it doesn't need to be x-rayed," Roy suggested while Johnny raised his pant leg.

The ankle was a little swollen, but he was able to move it and when they helped him to his feet, he could put some weight on it.

Karen came back out with a glass of water. "Here you go, Gary," she said, handing him the water, but she was looking at Johnny.

Gary was signing the waiver that he did not need any further treatment with Roy. He rolled his eyes, but took the glass of water.

"You've got yourself a great guy there," Johnny said to Karen, as he headed back to the squad.

"Oh we're not together," Karen said, hoping to get Johnny's attention.

"Too bad, he's a great guy," Johnny said, not looking back at her as he got in the squad.

Roy looked over at Johnny as he got into the squad. He had one arm on the edge of the door, the other elbow was on his leg and his head was resting in his hand.

"Squad 51, available," Roy called in. "You okay?"

"Why did you tell Marco about what happened between Ashley and I?"

"She called him, Johnny; to check and see how he was doing," Roy explained. "He didn't know to tell her to call you."

"She called him? Is she okay? Where is she?"

"I don't know," Roy answered. "I didn't get a chance to talk to him, everyone walked in."

"Well, let's get back to the station and ask him," Johnny said.

Roy said nothing as he headed toward the station.

"Marco," Johnny called, as he was stepping out of the squad. "Marco!"

"In here," Marco called, from the kitchen. Johnny walked in to find Marco cleaning the oven.

"You talked to Ashley? What'd she say? Where is she?" Johnny rapidly fired questions at Marco.

"She seemed okay, she was just asking if I was okay. I don't know exactly where she's at, she said something about being in northern California with a friend."

"What friend?"

Marco shook his head. "I don't know, Johnny. We only talked for a couple minutes. She was," Marco hesitated. "I don't know, she was distant."

"Marco, if she calls again," Johnny started.

"I know, I'll tell her to get in touch with you," Marco said.

E

"You got in late last night," Marisol said, as she heard Jose entering the kitchen. She turned and gasped at the sight of him. "Oh my God, what happened?"

Jose had a black eye, his lip was split and he was walking with a slightly limp.

"There was a fight at the pool hall," Jose said, sitting down at the table. "Make me some eggs and bacon."

Marisol moved to the fridge to get out the food items Jose had requested. "What happened?"

"Mateo thought he could take over C-14. But, Frank and I put him in his place," Jose bragged.

"Why would Mateo try to do that?"

"He said the snitch and Marco," Jose said. "Speaking of Marco, did you find him yesterday?"

"Yes, I found him," Marisol said.

"And, did he fall for the idea that you want to leave me and C-14?"

"I didn't get too much into that yet," Marisol said.

"Why not? That's what you were supposed to do!" Jose said, standing up and knocking the chair over.

"Marco's not stupid Jose; I've got to take this slow. I got him to take me out. To show me what my life could be like outside of C-14. But, I can't let this go too fast, he'll get suspicious."

"I'm not waiting forever, Marisol. Marco's gotta be dealt with. When are you gonna see him again?" Jose said, as he moved to stand closer to her.

"He's working today. I thought I'd go by the station in the morning when he's supposed to be getting off. Get him to have breakfast with me," Marisol said.

"You've got to play this up Marisol," Jose was saying as Frank walked into the apartment.

"Play what up?" Frank asked.

"Marisol met up with this Marco character yesterday. I was thinking, after yesterday, I need to make this guy an example."

Frank nodded and took a seat at the table.

"How far do you want me to take this Jose. If I'm trying to convince Marco I'm falling for him, he's gonna expect…," Marisol left the rest unsaid.

"Sex," Jose filled in.

Frank looked at Jose and then over at Marisol. If Marisol was his girl, he'd never let her sleep with some other guy.

"It's just sex, baby. It's worth it to give this guy the payback he deserves," Jose said, moving her hair back and kissing the back of her neck. "You'll do this for me, right?"

"Of course, Jose. I'd do anything for you."

Jose smiled and walked back over to the table. Marisol finished cooking the bacon and eggs and dished it out onto three plates, carrying the first two over to Frank and Jose before sitting down at the table herself.

"I heard through the grapevine, Mateo is dead," Frank said, when they were seated.

"Serves him right," Jose said.

"Aren't you worried someone's gonna place us at the scene?" Frank said.

"No one's gonna squeal, not in that neighborhood. Forget about it."

"Did you kill Mateo?" Marisol asked, looking at Jose.

"Who knows, who cares," Jose said, shoveling more eggs into this mouth.

"There were a lot of people fighting," Frank said. "I'm not sure who killed Mateo."

"Forget Mateo," Jose said, slamming his hand down on the table. "We have more important things to discuss."

Marisol put her head down and focused on eating.

"I made a new contact," Jose said. "This guy says he can provide all the Bennies and Crank we want. I've got us set to meet with him tomorrow; check him out. If we can…"

"Are you sure you want to talk about this now?" Frank asked, looking over at Marisol.

"She's cool, aren't you baby," Jose said, reaching over and stroking her cheek.

Marisol smiled at him. "As an ice cube."

"If we can hook up with this guy, we can expand our distribution area. I think we should move in and take over the Rolling Hills area."

"Rolling Hills, that's the 18th Street Gang area," Frank said. "Are you looking to start a turf war?"

"I think it's time to C-14 tested it's might. We're gonna make an example of this Marco, and the undercover cop when we find him and then united we're gonna go take over Rolling Hills, expand our territory. Maybe we'll just eliminate 18 altogether," Jose smiled. "I'm gonna shower, then we need to go check and make sure no one else is getting any stupid ideas."

Jose walked down the hallway. Marisol picked up his plate and prepared to wash the dishes.

"Are you really okay, Marisol?" Frank asked.

She looked over at him, taking in his obviously broken nose, and the multiple cuts on his arms. "Better than you are."

"I'm glad I was there. Mateo had some support; Jose could've been the one killed," Frank stood up, and carried his plate over to the sink.

"I meant are you okay with this Marco guy. You and Rico used to run with him, right. Can you do this?"

"Of course I can do this. Do you really think I'd let Jose down?" Marisol said, turning to look at Frank.

"If you were my girl, I'd never let you sleep with someone else," Frank said, moving closer to her. He raised his hand, and brushed a piece of hair back from her face.

Marisol slapped his hand away. "But, I am his girl. And I'll do whatever it is I have to do to accomplish the goal."

Marisol watched as Frank and Jose left the apartment a few minutes later. They had agreed they could cover more territory if they split up. Make sure everyone was staying loyal to C-14.

E

"I can't keep this up, Lieutenant."

"Steady yourself, Detective."

"People are dying. My job is to stop that. This assignment is crap. I've been doing this for a year. I've crossed so many lines I can barely look myself in the mirror anymore."

"Did Jose kill Mateo?"

"Even Jose doesn't know the answer to that," the detective said, pacing across the room.

"What's the new plan?" The Lieutenant asked.

"Jose's got a new supplier, one that can increase the supply of barbiturates and crystal meth."

"He hoping people start using more?"

"He's planning on moving into Rolling Hills and starting an all-out turf war. He says if he can take out Marco and the undercover cop he can build enough loyalty to take out the 18th Street Gang."

"He's talking about a gang war," the Lieutenant looked shocked.

"A lot of people will die. Maybe you should send in someone else," the detective sat down.

"You can do this."

"Lieutenant, it's taken me a year to get this far and Jose still isn't letting me in. When I think of the personal boundaries I've crossed. I joined the police force to protect people, to enforce the law. Instead I'm bending rules, closing my eyes, doing things personally that make me sick to my stomach."

"You've done what you need to do to get where we need you to be. You're being a good cop."

"At what cost? It feels like my own soul."

"The Organized Crimes and Gang Division is one of the hardest assignments in the force. We only take the best, because the undercover assignments can be brutal. When I worked the field, I turned my back on horrible crimes, with the narrow focus on taking down my mark. That's what you're doing; whatever it takes to take down Jose."

"The ends justify the means?"

"In this case, I think it does."

"You're not the one blurring your personal boundaries."

"I have. I'm not dismissing your concerns, Detective. I've had this conversation before; where I was the Detective and I was talking to my Lieutenant. I was saying exactly what you're saying."

"Then you also know I can't keep this up."

"Just a little while longer Detective. Even you have to know this is coming to an end very soon."

"I just hope it doesn't cost Marco his life," the Detective stood and left the Lieutenant's office.

"I hope it doesn't cost you yours," the Lieutenant said, quietly.

E

"Big plans with Mike this weekend," one of the nurses asked Tina as they reviewed patient chart updates.

Tina laughed. "I wish. He's getting off shift in about a half-hour, he'll be off today and tomorrow, but then he's back on shift from Saturday AM to Sunday AM. I've learned Saturday nights usually have a lot of calls, and Mike sleeps several hours on Sunday."

Tina looked around the room, feeling a sudden change in the energy. Ricky, the patient that had gotten physically aggressive with her his first day on the unit was staring at her from across the room. Tina debated on her next action. She wanted to move into the safety of the enclosed nursing station. But, she needed to go get Dr. Baker's next patient for their one-on-one therapy session.

Tina straightened her spine, picked up her clipboard and moved toward the hall that would take her to Sarah's room. She kept her eyes ahead of her, but starting noticing patients that were coming out of their rooms, ducking back inside. She turned to find Ricky right behind her.

"Ricky, can I help you with something?" Tina said, her voice firm.

"What's the matter, Nurse Tina; not happy to see me?"

"You've been warned. I am not your nurse, and you are not supposed to interact with me. I'm not sure what about me triggers these feelings of anger and agitation, but it is best for your recovery not to have contact with me." Tina said, her works clipped and her voice tense.

"You're just like her. Don't come near me, Ricky. Don't talk to me, Ricky. I don't love you, Ricky," he said, through clenched teeth.

"I'm not her, Ricky."

"Don't say my name," he yelled.

Tina flinched, despite her best effort to maintain a calm, professional demeanor. One of the other nurses moved into the nursing station to pick up a phone and call security. "Hurry, I think he's gonna hurt her," she said, hanging up the phone.

Ricky moved toward her, and Tina involuntarily backed up.

"Hey, Mandy, I'm not gonna hurt you. Why you acting this way?" Ricky moved closer. Tina backed up into the wall.

"I'm not Mandy," Tina said. Turning the clipboard as an obstacle between them.

Ricky grabbed the clipboard and sent it sailing down the hall. Tina saw Ricky reach for her. She tried to move, but he grabbed her by the hair, yanking her back. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her against the wall, she felt her head hit and her vision blurred for a second. He kept shaking her, shoving her into the wall. Tina tried to tuck her chin to her chest to stop her head from repeatedly hitting the wall.

She wasn't sure how long it took for security to get there, but she suddenly felt Ricky's hands pulled from her shoulders and her body sinking to the ground. She knew security was scuffling with Ricky, because she could hear the body's struggling with each other and the heavy breathing; but she kept her eyes closed.

Tina wasn't sure if she lost consciousness or not, but the next thing she knew a bright light was being shined into her eyes. She felt herself trying to pull back.

"Relax, Tina; it's Dr. Brackett. You've got a bad bump on your head," Dr. Brackett put his hand on her shoulder to keep her from moving, but Tina flinched in pain.

"Sorry," he said, gently. He moved back her blouse slightly to see a large bruise on her shoulder.

"Get me a gurney, we need to get her down to the ER," Dr. Brackett turned to one of the nurse's standing nearby. "Dixie, you'd better call the station and let Mike know."

"That bad?"

"She's definitely got a concussion. He's gonna want to be here."

Dixie walked beside the gurney with Dr. Brackett. As he and Joe Early moved Tina into Treatment Room 3, Dixie walked over to the nurse's desk and picked up the phone to call Station 51.

"Station 51, Paramedic John Gage speaking."

"Hi, Johnny, it's Dixie. Is Mike around?"

"Yeah, Dix, he's right here, is everything okay?" Johnny asked, looking at Mike standing over by the coffee pot.

"I really need to talk to Mike. There's been an incident with Tina."

"Is she okay?"

"She will be, but we'll probably have to keep her overnight. I…" Dixie stopped talking as she heard the tones sound over the phone. She silently prayed it wasn't a call for Mike.

"Squad 51, possible heart attack, 397 Ridgewood Way, cross-street Rivers Drive. Time out 7:40"

"Mike, phone. Dix, I'll see you soon," Johnny dropped the receiver, letting it hang by the cord as he moved toward the squad.

"What'd Dixie want?" Roy asked, climbing into the squad and accepting the piece of paper from Captain Stanley with the address.

"Tina's been hurt. She wants to tell Mike, they're gonna have to keep her overnight." Johnny said, pointing out where Roy needed to turn.

"What happened?" Roy asked, shocked by the news.

"I don't know; we didn't get that far."

"I hope Mike's able to get a replacement; he's gonna really be worried about her."

Mike moved over and picked up the phone. "This is Mike."

"Mike, it's Dixie at Rampart."

"Hi, Dixie. What do you need?"

"Mike, Tina's been hurt. She's gonna be okay, but we've got her down here in the ER. We are still doing tests, but it appears she has a concussion."

"What? What happened? Was she in a car accident on her way in?" Mike asked.

Captain Stanley had just walked into the kitchen. "Who was in a car accident?"

"Tina," Mike said, covering the receiver.

"No, no, Mike, she wasn't in a car accident. There was an incident at work," Dixie explained.

"What? What kinda incident?"

"One of the patient's got aggressive. Security got there as soon as they could, Mike. But, we're gonna have to keep her overnight."

Mike looked up at the clock. "As soon as the B-shift Engineer gets here, I'll head over. He's usually here by 7:50, so as long as we don't get a call in the next 10 minutes, I'll be there in about 20 minutes."

"Sounds good."

"What happened Mike?" Captain Stanley asked, as Mike hung up the phone.

"A patient hurt Tina. As soon as Richards gets here, can I head to the hospital?"

"Sure, Mike. Let us know how she is okay, Pal."

Mike paced in the dayroom and kitchen waiting for his replacement to arrive. As soon as Keith Richards walked in the door, Mike moved toward him. "Keith, do you mind taking over a couple minutes early? Tina's been hurt and I need to head to the hospital."

"Sure thing, I'll change, while you change," Keith said moving toward the locker room, one step behind Mike.

Mike quickly drove to the hospital and parked, making his way into the Emergency Room. "Dixie," Mike called out to the nurse, who was walking down the hall.

"Hi, Mike," Dixie stopped and turned to face him. "She's still in Treatment Room 3. We're arranging a room for her."

"Can I see her?"

"Yeah, Joe and Kel are done with all the tests. She has a minor concussion; they'll keep her overnight for observation; but we'll send her home tomorrow."

Mike walked over to Treatment room 3, but paused before he pushed the door open. He knew Tina had been keeping something from him a few nights ago, and now he suspected it was problems with this patient that had not hurt her. He was angry with her for not telling him what was going on and he wanted to make sure that wasn't the emotion he led with.

Mike took a deep breath and pushed open the door. Tina lay on the bed, with her head turned away from the door and her eyes closed. Mike watched as she instinctively moved away from the door, at the sound of someone entering.

"Are you okay?" Mike asked softly. He knew concussions could cause headaches, and he didn't want to cause her any additional pain.

Tina turned her head and smiled at him. "You made good time."

"At least you didn't act surprised that I came," Mike said, moving across the room to take her hand.

"I know better than that," Tina said.

"What happened?" Mike asked.

Tina bit the inside of her lip, knowing Mike was going to be upset that she didn't tell him about the problems she was having with Ricky before. "One of our patients got aggressive."

"Why? Is he new on the unit? Why wasn't he in restraints if he is dangerous? Or better yet, why is he here and not in some correctional ward?"

Tina looked into Mike's blue eyes. She could already here the edge of anger in his voice. "He isn't new. He's been on the unit about a week. He isn't usually violent, but something about me triggers aggression in him. We've been taking all the pre-cautions. I'm not ever assigned to his care and his room is assigned down a hall where none of my patients are located. He's been told to stay away from me. I'm not sure what happened today."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Mike asked, trying to keep his voice calmer than he felt.

"What are you going to do Mike? You can't be on the unit protecting me. This is my job," Tina said, letting her frustration come out in her voice. She wasn't really upset with Mike; she was upset with the situation, but she didn't know how else it could have been handled.

"I don't want you hiding things from me," Mike said, starting to let his frustration show too.

"Yes, you do. You and I both know there are things about our jobs we don't tell each other. Because there are things about our jobs that dark, and sometimes dangerous. It's a fact of our jobs, we can't change it, and the other person worrying about it doesn't do anyone any good. I keep things from you and you keep things from me. If telling you would've made a difference Mike, I'd have told you. But, there wasn't anything you could do."

Mike ran a hand through his sandy brown hair. He didn't like what she was saying and the protective part of him wanted to argue with her, wanted to be mad; honestly, he wanted to hit something. But, the rational part of him knew she was right. Her job was less dangerous than his; but she treated people with problems; sometimes those problems made them dangerous.

Mike moved back toward her and ran a hand over her cheek. He knew he was falling in love with her. He hadn't said it to her yet; but he knew that was what he was feeling. Mike wished he could keep her next to him all the time, so he could make sure she was safe.

The thought of Ashley suddenly came to his mind. He wondered if she was okay. He'd been so caught up in worrying about how a relationship with Johnny would affect her training at the academy he hadn't thought about what Johnny must be feeling right now; not knowing where Ashley was of if she was safe. He also started thinking about how horrible Ashley must feel thinking Johnny was in love with someone else.

"I shouldn't have tried to keep Ashley and Johnny apart."

Tina blinked and looked at Mike, trying to figure out where that statement had suddenly come from.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about how glad I am to be with you, and know that you are okay. Which got me thinking about how hard it must be for Johnny not to know if Ashley is safe."

"Imagine how Ashley must feel; she thinks Johnny's in love with someone else," Tina said.

"I know. Would you be okay if I went to your apartment and picked up whatever you need for tonight?"

"Mike, what are you gonna do?" Tina asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Ashley always kept an address book. I'm willing to bet she moved that with the things she put at your apartment. If I can find it, I can see what friends she has in Northern California and maybe I can track her down for him."

"You can't go through her things," Tina said.

"You have any better ideas? We can't let Ashley go on thinking Johnny doesn't love her and I need to make it up to Johnny for trying to keep them apart."

Tina hesitated for a minute. "My keys are in my purse," she said with a sigh, pointing to the purse that Dixie had hung on the hook on the wall.


	10. Chapter 10

Mike slid the key into the lock and let himself into Tina's apartment. He went into her bedroom first and started collecting the items she had asked him to bring to the hospital. He stepped into the bathroom and finished adding the last few items to the bag, before walking into the spare bedroom. He paused at the doorway, feeling a little uncomfortable walking into the room that Ashley would be using.

It was obvious she hadn't been here yet; boxes were still stacked along one wall. There was a bed set up and a dresser, but nothing hung in the open closet, no pictures sat on top of the dresser and the walls were bare.

Mike walked in and looked at the stack of boxes. Each box had a sheet of paper taped to it, listing every item in the box. Mike smile, that was typical Ashley; she was very organized. Mike looked at the first box. It listed a bunch of clothing items. The second box listed various knickknacks. The third box had the items he was looking for, reading books, personal books, address book, magazines, photo album.

Mike carefully peeled back the tape to open the box. He looked around feeling guilty for going through her things. He removed a couple of books and set them on top of the box next to him. He removed the address book and stepped back to sit on the bed. He flipped to the first page, looking at Ashley's neat writing. There were not a lot of entries in the book, but each one was complete with an address and phone number.

Mike flipped through looking for any addresses in Northern California. There was only one, Jack Wagner, in Arcata, California. Mike carried the address book into the kitchen and picked up the phone. He dialed the number and listened to it ring on the other end.

"Hello," a deep male voiced answered the phone.

"Hi, my name is Mike Stoker, I'm trying to reach Ashley James. Would she happen to be there?"

There was a moment of hesitation on the other end of the line. "Sure, one minute."

Mike could hear rustling on the line and assumed the man had put the phone receiver against him to keep Mike from hearing what he was saying. He could hear muffled voices, but could not make out the words. A few seconds later Ashley's voice came on the line. "Mike, how'd you find me?"

"I talked to Marco, he mentioned you said you were seeing a friend in Northern California," Mike said, hoping he could leave it at that.

"Is Marco okay?" Ashley asked, suddenly worried that Mike was calling because something was wrong.

"Yes, Marco's fine. But, Tina's been hurt," Mike said, suddenly realizing that was a perfect reason to get Ashley to come back.

"What happened?" Ashley asked.

"She was attacked by a patient. She's in the hospital with a concussion. They're going to keep her overnight tonight, but they'll release her from the hospital tomorrow. I can be with her tomorrow, but then I go back on shift."

"I can be back Friday night. I'll watch her when you're working on Saturday. I need to come back and get ready to start the academy on Monday anyway," Ashley quickly volunteered.

"That'd be great. I'll see you Friday night," Mike said, hoping to get off the phone before she asked how he found the phone number.

"Okay. Bye." Ashley hung up the phone, still thinking about her friend in the hospital.

"Is that the same Mike I remember you telling me about? The one that dated Maddie?" Jack asked.

"Yes. He's dating a friend of mine now and she was hurt at work. She's a nurse on a psychiatric unit," Ashley said absent-mindedly.

"Did you tell him you were staying with me?" Jack asked, the police officer in him wondering how Mike had gotten his unlisted number.

"No. I didn't tell anyone where I was going," Ashley said, still not fully paying attention to the conversation. Suddenly she looked up at Jack. "How'd he get your number? How'd he even figure out your name?"

Jack shrugged. "When you find out, I'd love to here. Sounds like some pretty good detective work."

Mike moved back to the bedroom to put the address book back in the box. He accidently bumped the two books sitting on top of the other box and they fell to the floor. Mike put the address book back in the box, and bent over to pick up the two books. One had opened and Mike could easily read the first few lines, "Dr. Baker wants me to keep a diary to put my feelings down on paper. She says it is easier to remove yourself from them, if the logical part of your brain can see them in black and white. She thinks it might help me deal with the pain and guilt over Maddie's death."

Mike closed the diary and put both books back in the box. He was starting to close it, when he stopped. He knew he shouldn't read her diary; but he'd been so worried about Ashley's state of mind lately and with her running away after the misunderstanding with Johnny, he felt like maybe he should look at the most recent entries, so he could make sure she wasn't having suicidal thoughts.

Mike picked the diary back up. He hesitated, knowing he was violating Ashley's privacy. But, what if she really was struggling and contemplating suicide again? Mike flipped to the last entry, it was on the last page, so Mike assumed there was probably another diary somewhere. Ashley probably had it with her. This entry was only from over a month ago. Mike skimmed the first few lines. "We had a run today that really shook me up. We responded to a girl injured. When we got there, it was obvious one of the parents had burned the young girl with a cigarette in several places and this wasn't the first time. I talked Roy and Johnny into letting me ride in the ambulance with her. I told her that if she did what the doctor's said the scarring would be minimal. I let her know that once the scars were completely healed she could make a scrub with sugar and water and use it to exfoliate the skin. As the dead skin is removed the scar will fade. I showed her mine on the bottom of my foot. You can barely see them now. I think it helped her. Johnny and Roy talked about it that night at dinner. They were amazed that she hadn't reported the abuse to someone before. The guys knew something was bothering me, but how could I tell them that I had been that girl? I didn't know how to tell them that knowing how someone was gonna hurt you was a lot less scary than the new ways another person might think up."

Mike closed the journal and put it back in the box. He felt sick to his stomach and wished he hadn't read those few lines. It made him realize there was so much about Ashley's past he didn't know. He'd focused on her losing Maddie, but had never thought about what she faced in the foster care system. Mike resealed the box and left the apartment.

E

Jack walked over to where Ashley was sitting and slipped his jacket around her shoulder.

She turned and gave him a small smile. "Thanks. I can't get over how many stars you can see from your backyard. It was like that in North Carolina, but definitely not in LA."

"I really like it here," Jack said, sitting down next to her on the swing he had in his backyard. He had bought it so he and Alice could watch the stars and have bonfires with Kimberly. He hadn't sat in it since she called off their engagement.

"It's a lovely town," Ashley agreed.

"You know, we do have a fire department," Jack hinted.

Ashley gave a small chuckle. "I'll keep that in mind."

Jack turned to face her. "You really should, Ashley. I think you'd be happy here. I think we could be happy here," Jack said, reaching for her hand.

Ashley saw the hope in his eyes and felt herself begin to tense up. "Jack…," she hesitated, not knowing what to say.

"I know, Ashley. You can't begin to think of it right now. You just got your heartbroken, but you're leaving tomorrow morning and I want to put it out there. We'd be good together. We understand what it's like to grow up without a family; to only have yourself to depend on."

"Didn't we discuss just the other day how people like you and I shouldn't have kids because we'd just screw them up. Two of us together would be worse than trying to partner with someone who had a normal family life. Our kids wouldn't stand a chance," Ashley said, trying to discourage where he wanted to take the conversation.

"We just wouldn't have kids. With me being a police officer and you being a fire fighter, it'd be irresponsible to have kids anyway. Surely you and Johnny wouldn't have had kids. It's too great a chance you'd leave them an orphan and they'd grow up like we did."

"We never talked about it," Ashley said.

"Are you attracted to me, Ashley," Jack asked, moving over closer to her.

Ashley looked down at her hands. "I'll be honest, Jack, I just never thought of you like that."

"That isn't a no," Jack said, reaching over, and placing his hand on hers.

Jack moved closer to her, he was now close enough she could feel the heat radiating from his body in the cool night air. Maybe Jack was right, they were both so screwed up, maybe the smartest thing would be for them to get together, so they didn't ruin anyone else's life. Ashley tried to think about it, but her mind only pictured Johnny, his hair wind-blown, that crooked grin of his and those deep brown eyes that made her insides turn to mush when they locked with hers.

Ashley shook her head. "Jack, I'm so sorry. You're such a wonderful guy, and any woman would be lucky to have you interested in her."

"Don't make a decision right now, Ashley," Jack said, cutting off where she was going with her statement. "Just think about it."

Ashley didn't respond. Jack slipped his arm around her shoulders and they sat together in silence for a bit longer. "I should get to bed," Ashley said. "I have to drive back to LA tomorrow and I want to get an early start."

Jack stood up and offered her his hand. Ashley took it and he pulled her to her feet and into his arms. He held her for several seconds, but didn't try to take the action any further. He finally released her from his embrace and took her hand, walking back to the house. He stopped with her outside the bedroom door where she was sleeping. He ran his thumb over her cheek, his eyes on her lips. Ashley took a step backward and he dropped his hand. "Good-night, Ashley," he said, before stepping into his bedroom and closing the door.

Ashley stepped into the bedroom and shut the door. She leaned against it briefly and sighed. Her life could be so much easier if she just took Jack up on his offer. They'd always gotten along very well, and he could almost read her mind a lot of the time. They understood the dark shadows of each other's past and they didn't judge each other for the things they'd done to survive. Ashley had never told Johnny some of things she'd done and been exposed to in the foster homes she'd lived in. Or Mike even. She'd never felt confident they would understand. But, Jack understood, Jack had been exposed to the same harsh realities of life without parents. Maybe what he was offering was the smarter choice.

Ashley changed into her nightgown, and packed away the clothes she'd worn that day. Her outfit for tomorrow lay on top of the dresser. Her goal was to be on the road by 7:00 AM; that would get her back to LA near dinner time. She climbed under the covers and closed her eyes. She couldn't help but wonder what Johnny was doing at that moment; was he with the woman he was in love with, was he climbing into bed with her right now? Ashley felt her eyes start to sting and she forced herself to think about what she needed to accomplish before she started the academy on Monday, creating lists in her head; she quickly felt her eyelids growing heavy and gave into sleep.

E

Johnny slammed down the phone and looked at the clock again. Where the hell was Marco, he thought for what was probably the thousandth time that night. Marco was supposed to stay with him on these days off. He'd come home with him this morning. They'd both gone to bed to take a nap, it has been a rough night with calls, and when he'd woken up, Marco had been gone. Just a note stating that he was going out and would be back later. Johnny'd been calling everyone he knew that was friends with Marco most of the day and hadn't been able to track him down anywhere.

The phone rang under Johnny's hand and he jumped, startled by the sudden sound. "Marco," Johnny snapped at he answered the phone.

"No, Mike, what's up with Marco?"

"I woke up and he was gone. I can't find him anywhere," Johnny huffed.

"I haven't heard from him. But, if I do I'll let you know. You know Chet mentioned to me that he disappeared on him that day before we went back on shift. He never did say where he went."

"We can't protect him if he's just gonna keep exposing himself to danger," Johnny grumbled. He was in a lousy mood and this was just making it worse.

"Maybe Captain Stanley can talk some sense into him. I call him after I hang up with you," Mike suggested.

"Why did you call?" Johnny asked.

"I talked to Ashley," Mike said.

"You did, when? Where is she?" Johnny stood up a bit straighter.

"I talked to her a few hours ago. She's gonna be at Tina's apartment tomorrow night, sometime around 7:00 PM would be my guess. She's gonna stay with Tina while we're on shift. I thought you could go over there and talk to her before I brought Tina home."

"Thanks, Mike. That's great. I'll be there. Did you say anything to her?"

"No, I figured it needed to come from you," Mike said. He hesitated for a minute. "John, has Ashley ever talked to you about any of the foster homes she lived in after Maddie died?"

"Sure, we talked about it. She was bounced between several houses for a couple of years and then ended up in a group home."

"Has she ever told you any specifics, like how they treated her?" Mike asked, agitated.

Johnny thought about it. "No, not really. I mean I get the feeling there are not a lot of great memories. Why?"

"I had to go through a few things to find her phone book to call her. I read a diary entry where she talked about being burned by cigarettes. It made me realize how little I know about Ashley's past."

"What? How could she not tell me she'd been through something like that?" Johnny was shocked by what Mike was telling him. "We're so close."

"She never told me either," Mike said.

"Wait a minute, you read her diary?"

"I know, it's terrible, but honestly, not the most important thing given what I read," Mike said, still feeling a bit guilty for reading the diary.

"Well I can't bring that up tomorrow, but between the two of us, we'll start getting her to open up," Johnny said.

"Agreed. Let me know when you find Marco, okay?"

"Yeah," Johnny said, his mind temporarily on Ashley. "Talk to you later."

What would he say to her? They weren't working together anymore; he could just kiss her, tell her that he loved her. Johnny let his mind wander to imaging what it would be like to take Ashley in his arms and cross that line between friends and lovers. He'd dreamt about the scenario more than once, waking up to the intense need for her. When he talked to Mike again he'd have to make sure to tell him to give them plenty of time before he showed up with Tina. Johnny frowned, why hadn't Ashley ever told him about being hurt? At that thought, Johnny glanced at the clock again. Where was Marco?

E

"I think I like this better than the observatory," Marisol said, looking up at the star filled sky.

Marco had risked coming into the old neighborhood to find her earlier that afternoon. It hadn't taken much persuading to get her into the car with him. He'd driven a couple hours out of the city and laid out a blanket. They'd enjoyed a delicious dinner and were now laying on the blanket watching the stars come out as the sun dipped below the horizon.

Marco rolled onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow, looking over at Marisol. "Me too."

Marisol rolled over to face him, their bodies separated by only a few inches of blanket. "You shouldn't have risked coming into C-14 territory though."

"I needed to see you," Marco whispered, letting his eyes roam over her face, lingering slightly on her red lips.

"It's too risky, Marco. You can't do that again."

"I want to see you."

Marisol hesitated briefly. "I want to see you too," she said softly.

"So, I'll take my chances," Marco said, feeling himself smile at her answer.

"No. I don't want you to get hurt. The baseball field where I saw you with Chet that one day; I'll meet you there from now on."

"Tomorrow?" Marco said hopefully.

"Does that mean you're not going to keep me out here all night?" Marisol said, making her voice sound sultry and seductive.

"Don't think I haven't thought about it," Marco said.

"Me too," Marisol admitted.

Marco moved over closer to her, eliminating the couple of inches between them. His eyes locked with hers and he suddenly felt like time stopped. Marco slowly leaned in and kissed her lips. Marisol slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him toward her as she lay back on the blanket. Marco let himself enjoy the kiss for several long minutes, but then forced himself to pull away. "I should get you back." He knew Jose was probably already missing her.

"Jose and Frank were planning on being out late; he told me he may not even come home," Marisol said, knowing what he was thinking.

Marco smiled and let himself pull her into another kiss. He knew they still needed to leave soon, it was getting late and he knew by now Johnny was probably furious that he couldn't find him. But, he wanted to enjoy kissing Marisol just a bit longer.

"Don't drop me off in the old neighborhood, Marco. Just drop me off at the baseball field. I can get home from there," Marisol said. The ride home had gone by quickly as they talked about everything under the sun. Marisol had forgotten about Jose and her assignment and just was herself with Marco. Marco had spent a lot of the time sharing hilarious stories about some of the antics that went on with the Station 51 crew. He had just finished telling her a story about Johnny having insomnia and how they had rigged a stokes to hang from the ceiling and decorated it with a mobile, like a baby's cradle. Marisol, wiped at tears that rolled down her cheeks from laughing so hard.

"I hate to just leave you alone in the dark, Marisol," Marco said.

"I'll be much safer than you would be going into C-14 territory," Marisol insisted. "And I'll meet you back here tomorrow around 6:00 PM. I won't have long, but could probably stay for a couple of hours."

"I'll see you tomorrow night then," Marco said, leaning over and giving her another kiss before she got out of the car. He watched her walk away until she had turned the corner. He was tempted to keep an eye on her to make sure she got home okay, but he knew if anyone found out she'd been with him, her life would be in a lot more danger than it was walking at night. She'd be in C-14 territory in just a few blocks anyway.

Marco turned the car around and headed back to Johnny's apartment.

"Where the hell have you been?"

Marco just closed the door and ignored Johnny's outburst.

Johnny blocked his path before he could walk down the hall to the spare bedroom.

"Get outta my way," Marco said through clenched teeth. He was done being treated like a child.

"What is going on with you, Pal?" Johnny asked, continuing to block Marco's way. "You're runnin' around like you don't have anyone trying to kill you."

"I'm not gonna be treated like a child, Johnny. Not get outta my way."

"No," Johnny said, folding his arms over his chest. "Not until you tell me what the heck is going on. This isn't like you Marco. You're not reckless."

Marco looked at Johnny and rather than push the fight he sighed and moved to sit on the couch.

"You can't possibly understand what this is like, John. I'm used to being free to come and go as I please and for weeks now, I've had someone babysitting me like a child. I hate feeling like a coward," Marco dropped his head, not looking at Johnny.

Johnny moved to sit in a chair, off to the side of the couch. "You're not a coward Marco. I've seen you charge into fires that other firemen have hesitated about entering. You've always got our backs, and now we've got yours. But, this isn't about being brave or a coward. It's about playing it smart. I don't know what it was you were doing tonight, but my gut says it wasn't smart."

Marco looked up at Johnny. "I was with Marisol."

Johnny let out a breath, "Definitely not smart."

"I like her Johnny. I mean I really like her."

"She's a member of the gang that wants you dead," Johnny pointed out.

"I think I can get her to leave the gang," Marco insisted.

"C'mon, Marco. You're not that stupid," Johnny said, before he thought about what he was saying.

Marco stood up. "It's not stupid. She doesn't belong in that life. She's too smart and too beautiful."

"Marco, you're letting your hormones cloud your judgement."

"Look who's talking."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Before Ashley you constantly were running after some new woman. You're a giant walking hormone," Marco waved his hand at Johnny.

"At least I'm not going after a woman that already dating a guy that wants me dead," Johnny argued.

"No, just one that drove 10 hours to get away from you," Marco retorted.

Johnny stood up now too. "We had a misunderstanding, we'll work it out."

"Cause you're so great at communicating with women?" Marco knew he was out of line, but all the anger that had been pent up for the last several weeks was spilling out into this conversation.

Johnny opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself. Instead he grabbed his car keys from the hook by the door and walked out of the apartment. He wasn't sure where he was going to go, but he knew staying there was not a good idea.

Marco dropped his head as the door closed. He hadn't meant to get in a fight with Johnny. The guys were just trying to help him out. Marco wasn't sure why he was taking his anger out on them, this had nothing to do with them and they were all putting themselves at risk being there for him.

E

Johnny sat in Roy's driveway, not getting out of the car. It was late. The kids were probably in bed and Roy and Joanne would be enjoying some alone time; Johnny didn't want to interrupt, but he had instinctively driven there when he left his apartment.

He looked up at movement near the window and smiled when he saw Joanne standing there. He opened the door and got out of the car. Joanne slipped her arm through his and began walking to the house.

"I didn't want to interrupt," Johnny said.

"You're not. I was making Roy watch a chick flick. He's happy for the reprieve. I think he's fixing a couple of sandwiches."

"Oh good, I'm starving."

Joanne laughed, "When aren't you hungry?"

"When I'm sleeping," Johnny joked.

Roy sat the sandwich down in front of Johnny as he sat down at the table. He grabbed a bag of chips and carried them and his sandwich over to the table.

"Found Marco?" Roy asked, figuring Johnny had lost his temper and they'd had a fight.

"He was with Marisol."

Roy thought about it for a few minutes. "Not smart."

"Do you think I communicate poorly with women?" Johnny asked, biting into his sandwich.

"Yes," Roy said bluntly.

"Thanks a lot," Johnny said, with his mouth full of sandwich.

"Johnny, give me a break. Remember the stewardess you didn't want to see again and you said she'd gotten the message. She continued to call you for 2 weeks before she finally, "got the message". Or the time you accidently got yourself engaged, because she misunderstood you. I can name more, if you need me too," Roy said.

"No, thanks, that's plenty. But, what about with Ashley?"

"What's going on Johnny?"

"Marco just made a crack about my ability to talk to women and earlier Mike told me he'd read a page of Ashley's diary. One of the foster homes she stayed in, used to burn her with cigarettes. Ashley's never told me that. She's coming back tomorrow night. She's gonna be at Tina's. I'm supposed to go try to straighten out our misunderstanding, but now I don't know how to do that."

"Mike read Ashley's diary?"

"Not the important part, focus Roy," Johnny fussed.

"I don't know what to say, Johnny. I thought Ashley and I were pretty close and she's never told me either. I mean, I got that things were great in the foster homes, that's why she got moved around, but she never said they hurt her. But, you and I have been on enough runs that we know some of those places can be brutal," Roy said, thinking back to some of the things Johnny and he had witnessed over the years. He shuddered to imagine Ashley going through some of those things.

"Are you going to bring it up when you talk to her tomorrow night?" Roy asked.

"I think tomorrow I just need her to know that I was telling you that I loved her. Once we get our relationship on solid ground, I can talk to her about the past. Besides, if she finds out Mike read her diary, she's gonna be mad."

Roy smiled and shook his head. "I'd hate to be in his shoes."


	11. Chapter 11

Jack opened the door for Ashley as they walked out of the restaurant. He'd talked her into having breakfast with him before she left to go back to LA. He took her hand, as he walked her toward the car and stood back as she unlocked the door. When she opened the door, he put a hand on her arm before she could get into the vehicle.

Ashley took a step back, but Jack moved in closer, pinning her between him and her car. Jack caressed her cheek. He leaned in close and captured her mouth in a kiss. He slid his hand down to her waist and pulled her against him.

Ashley closed her eyes and tried to make herself be open to the possibility of her and Jack. After all, she thought, Johnny was no longer an option. When Jack pulled back, Ashley forced herself to smile.

"Just think about it, Ashley," Jack said, as he stepped back.

Ashley just nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She climbed into the car and let Jack close her door. She started her car and pulled out of the parking lot. She looked into the rearview mirror and saw Jack smiling, as he watched her pull out.

Ashley felt her stomach tighten. She forced herself to pay attention to the street signs, so she didn't end up on the wrong highway. She wouldn't think about it right now; she needed to think about Tina. What would she need? Tina had been so wonderful when Ashley was in the hospital. Ashley smiled remembering Tina sneaking in warm chocolate chip cookies and ice cold milk. She could pick up the ingredients to make cookies and have them ready to cook when Tina got there.

Ashley forced herself to concentrate on how she could help Tina and on what she needed to do to prepare to start the Fire Academy. Every time her mind wandered to Johnny or Jack, she would force herself to focus on Tina and the Fire Academy. The only other thought she let into her head was Marco. She was really worried about him. She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that something more was wrong.

Ashley let herself into Tina's apartment and made her way to the kitchen. She deposited the bags onto the counter containing ingredients for chocolate chip cookies, a gallon of milk, and the makings for lasagna for dinner. Ashley quickly put together the lasagna and popped it into the oven. She was hungry, she hadn't eaten since breakfast, and briefly considered making herself a quick sandwich. She looked toward the guest room that she knew was filled with boxes and nothing was organized to allow her to sleep that night. She decided to skip the sandwich and just try to get the room in some semblance of order.

Ashley walked into the room and tried to shake the feeling of sadness that suddenly washed over her. She couldn't help but wonder how many "new" places she'd moved into and stopped counting when she hit 15; not wanting to know just how many there had been. Some places had been better than others, but none had been filled with love. Not even the home where she had lived with her dad and Maddie, before he died. Maybe she should just take Jack up on his offer. She knew she wasn't in love with him and that she would never feel for him what she felt for Johnny. But, they had a lot in common, they got along well; maybe that was the best she could ever hope for. Ashley ran her hands over her face, took a deep breath and shook her head, trying to get the depressing thoughts out of her head. She looked over the boxes and opened the one that contained her bedding. She quickly made her bed, adding the decorative pillows as the final touch.

Ashley looked around. Having the bed made definitely helped the mood of the room. The next box she opened contained her books. She had a small book case on one side of the bed. She carefully arranged the books, laying her address book on top for easy access. Ashley looked carefully at the diary. She had started a new one about a month ago that she kept in her purse and she wasn't sure where she should store this one now that she wasn't living alone; and wouldn't be here most of the time. She knew Tina would never violate her privacy by reading it, but Ashley just wasn't comfortable leaving it laying out. Ashley lifted the corner of her mattress and slipped the book under it, near the top of the bed.

She turned to start putting away clothes in the closet and dresser until she heard a knock at the door. She figured Tina had her keys in her purse and Mike's hands were full carrying all her stuff. As she moved into the living room she got a good whiff of the lasagna and her stomach quickly reminded her of how hungry she was.

"Perfect timing, I'm starving," Ashley said, as she opened the door. "Johnny!" Ashley felt her heart soar for just one second, and then felt her heart gripped by the ice cold memory of Johnny leaning against the deck railing telling Roy he was in love with someone else. The pain that hit her was even more intense than it had been in that first moment; maybe because the shock of the revelation was over.

Johnny smiled at the sight of Ashley opening the apartment door, but felt his stomach tighten when he saw her eyes darken and she took a step back.

"Ashley, I need to talk to you," Johnny said, stepping into the apartment and closing the door.

Ashley shook her head, her mind racing a million different directions. She absolutely could not hear him tell her he was in love with someone else. She knew her heart wouldn't survive. "We don't need to talk Johnny. I heard you tell Roy you were in love with someone."

"Ashley, that's what we need to talk about," Johnny said, moving closer to her.

Ashley held up her hand, to stop him from moving any closer. "Don't," she whispered.

Ashley moved to the end of the couch and leaned against it to help her stay upright. "We don't need to talk about it Johnny. I'm very happy for you," Ashley said, forcing herself to smile at him. "It really is for the best. I reconnected with an old friend in Arcata. He helped me see that you and I weren't good for each other. Something you'd already figured out. You're a very smart man, John Gage," Ashley could feel herself starting to shake. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold her composure.

"What?" Johnny didn't understand what was happening.

"Jack asked me to move with him to Arcata. We understand each other, share common experiences. I can be myself with him," Ashley kept talking, hoping to hold it together just a little bit longer.

"You couldn't be yourself with me?" Johnny asked, suddenly remembering what Mike had told him about Ashley being abused in one of her foster homes. He suddenly started doubting all the things he thought he knew about their relationship. Maybe he'd just been seeing what he wanted to see. Maybe she hadn't been falling in love with him, as he had been with her.

"I have a lot to do before Tina gets back," Ashley said, needing Johnny to leave. She could feel the tremors in her body intensifying and she feared Johnny would notice her shaking, if he didn't leave soon.

"Yeah, sure," Johnny said moving toward the door. He looked back at Ashley who continued to stand at the end of the couch. "Good night, Ashley." Johnny said, as he let himself out of the apartment.

"Good-bye, Johnny," Ashley whispered as the door closed.

E

Johnny was grateful that Marco wasn't at the apartment when he got home. He didn't want to talk about what had just happened with Ashley. He wasn't sure he even understood what just happened. Had she really been telling him she was going to move to be with another guy? Was she in love with this guy? If that was true, she couldn't have been in love with him. Johnny felt hurt and betrayed. He was really in love with Ashley; and she had just told him they weren't good for each other. As he walked past the room Marco was using, he vaguely wondered where Marco was this time. Johnny walked into his room and shut the door. He just didn't want to deal with facing anyone tonight.

"I have a soccer game on Monday afternoon, it's about a 2-hour drive; do you want to go with me?" Marco asked Marisol, as they walked along the beach holding hands.

"I'd love to watch you play," Marisol said, looking up at Marco.

He stopped to drop his head and give her a kiss. "Don't go back tonight."

"I have too," Marisol said, pulling away from Marco.

"No, you don't."

"You don't understand," Marisol insisted.

"You're right; I don't. Why do you keep going back, Marisol?"

Marisol grabbed her long black hair in both hands and nervously began to twist it up in a bun. "C-14 is where I belong, Marco. It's the only life I've ever known. I've had a lot of fun these last few days with you; but this is like a vacation; it's not real life."

"It could be."

"No, it can't."

Marco left out a quick sigh.

"Let me just enjoy the time we have together. It'll end soon enough," Marisol said, slipping her arms around Marco's waist. "It's not often I get to live in a fairytale."

"It doesn't have to be a fairytale, Marisol. This can be our life," Marco said, looking down into her brown eyes.

Marisol pushed away from him and walked a few feet. "What am I supposed to do, Marco? Give up everything about my life and just let your world absorb me? C-14 is a part of who I am; and you just want me to leave, like it's nothing. Like these memories don't matter. Rico is a part of these memories Marco. I can't just leave."

"Rico's memory doesn't disappear because you leave C-14," Marco argued. "I still have those memories, Marisol. The three of us, sitting on the curb, eating ice cream on hot summer days. That time we all hitch-hiked out to that lake and went swimming, skipping rocks and swinging on that old swing someone had left behind."

"Until the ropes broke and sent Rico flying into the water," Marisol chuckled, remembering that summer afternoon.

Marco walked over and took her hand. "I still have those memories, Marisol. But, I also have the ones where Rico and I beat people up because they hadn't pledge their loyalty to C-14. Or busted up that old man's shop because he hadn't paid the protection insurance. You don't belong with those people."

Marisol leaned into Marco's chest and he wrapped his arms around her. "I don't know where I belong, Marco. I can't just leave everything I know and try to fit myself into your world. That isn't any different from the way I live now."

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't matter," Marisol said.

"It matters to me," Marco put his finger under her chin and lifter her head so he could see her eyes.

"Right now, I'm living a life where I belong to Jose. That's my identity. I don't wanna leave to just become Marco's girl, instead of Jose's girl."

"You can find your own interests, Marisol. Be whomever you want to be. But, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want being my girl to be a part of that."

"You don't even know me," Marisol whispered.

"Yes, Marisol, I do know you. I knew you then and I know you now," Marco said, dropping his lips to hers and engaging them in a long, passionate kiss.

"I'll think about it, Marco," Marisol said, when they parted. "But, you know, if I leave C-14 for you, we'd have to leave the area. They'd kill us both for sure."

"I can't leave my job, Marisol. I love what I do. They guys I work with, they're more than just guys I work with, they're my brothers."

"We'd have to leave, Marco. There wouldn't be any other options. They know where you work, they'd find out where you live. If you really want us to be together, you'd have to leave the Los Angeles County Fire Department and all of your friends. Are you willing to do that for me?"

E

Captain Stanley looked over the men standing in front of him for roll call. Roy and Chet looked fine; but Mike looked like he hadn't slept since their last shift and Johnny and Marco looked like they'd just lost their best friend in the world.

Mike had called him yesterday and told him about Marco's disappearing act with both Chet and Johnny. It was already on his agenda to sit down and have a heart to heart with Marco, but he mentally added checking in with Mike to make sure Tina was okay and seeing what was up with Johnny to that list. He finished giving the work assignments for the day and the chore list and watched as the men dispersed to start their day.

Johnny and Roy moved to start checking supplies in the squad and to do the biophone check with Rampart. Captain Stanley figured he'd let them do that before trying to talk to Johnny, in case they got called out on a run. Captain Stanley watched as Marco moved toward the closet to get the mop and bucket. He was going to be mopping the dorm room, so there was time to quickly check-in with Mike, who was looking the Engine over.

"Hey, Mike. How's Tina doing?"

"She's okay, I guess. Roy came by yesterday afternoon and checked on her injuries to make sure they were healing okay. She's had a couple of nightmare's; but she's a trooper. Ashley's staying with her today," Mike said, his eyes narrowing slightly as the thought about Ashley.

"Everything okay there?" Captain Stanley asked, seeing Mike's expression change.

"I don't think so, Cap. I know Johnny went over there before I brought Tina home. He was supposed to tell Ashley that he loved her. Before you start, I know they weren't doing anything while she was here. They definitely spent time together, but they didn't cross the line. Anyway, when I got to the apartment with Tina, Ashley looked like she'd been crying. I asked if Johnny had come over and she said that he had and everything was fine between them; but something was definitely not fine," Mike unloaded the thoughts that had kept him awake last night. "Today, when I asked Johnny what happened, he just shrugged his shoulders and said apparently he couldn't communicate with women."

"I want to talk to Marco first, but Johnny's on my list. I'll see if I can't figure out what went wrong." Captain Stanley put a hand on Mike's shoulder. "Let us know if there is anything we can do for Tina."

"Thanks, Cap."

Captain Stanley walked into the dorm room. Marco was the only one in the room, he was slowly mopping the same spot, his eyes focused on the brick wall.

"Wanna talk about it?" Captain Stanley asked.

"What?" Marco asked, startled by the sudden voice.

"I hear you pulled a Houdini on Chet and Johnny over the last few days," Captain Stanley said, resting his arm on one of the low dividing walls.

"I don't need babysitters," Marco mumbled.

"That isn't what they are, and you know it," Captain Stanley said, not letting Marco pull him into an argument.

"I know," Marco said, sitting down on the nearest bunk and dropping is head into his hands. "They're a great bunch of guys. I don't know what I'd do without 'em."

"You'll never have to find out, Marco. We're a family."

Marco looked up and met Captain Stanley's eyes. "What happens if I leave?"

Captain Stanley moved to sit on the bunk across from Marco. "What's going on?"

"I've been seeing Marisol. I'm trying to convince her to leave the C-14 gang," Marco stood up and started to pace. "At first it was just to get her away from the gang. She's too good to be some gang member's property. But, it became more personal. I really care for her, Cap," Marco looked at his Captain, waiting for him to object, or tell Marco he was crazy.

"You're not an impulsive guy, Marco. If you have feelings for this girl, I have no doubt she must be something pretty special," Captain Stanley said.

"She pointed out last night that if she leaves C-14 to be with me; we'll have to leave the area. Probably the state. There's no way Jose could let us live and maintain control of C-14," Marco looked absolutely miserable as he said the words.

"Your feelings are strong enough for her to make that kind of a sacrifice?" Captain Stanley was surprised that Marco had fallen so quickly for a woman he barely knew. He knew they'd had a connection in the past, but that had been a very long time ago.

"Yeah, yeah, I think they are," Marco said, sitting back down across from Captain Stanley.

"Marco," Captain Stanley hesitated. "Marco, are you sure you can trust her?"

Marco looked down, seriously considering the Captain's question. "I'm not sure," he said honestly. "I really do think she cares about me. But, at the same time, I feel like there's something she's holding back. Like she's not being 100% straight with me."

"You're contemplating some pretty big life changes for someone you're not sure you can trust," Captain Stanley pointed out.

Marco just looked at him, but said nothing.

"We're family, Marco. Whether you're here at Station 51, or at another station, in another town, in another state. Families aren't built on a location, their built on loyalty. Just be careful, Marco. Make sure you know where Marisol's loyalties lie, before you put yourself in harm's way." Captain Stanley stood up and headed out of the dorms, in search of his youngest crew member.

Captain Stanley walked into the kitchen to find Gage furiously scrubbing the oven. He glanced over at Roy, who was watching his partner with a concerned look on his face. Captain Stanley arched an eyebrow at Roy, silently asking if he knew what was up. Roy shrugged his shoulders.

Captain Stanley poured himself a cup of coffee and continued watching the scene before him for a few minutes. The only sounds muttered by the young paramedic were grunts, as he tried to maneuver himself further into the oven to scrub the far back corners.

"John," Captain Stanley said and then winced when he saw the young man jump and whack his head against the frame of the oven.

Johnny stepped back from the oven, rubbing his head. "Yeah, Cap."

"Grab some coffee and come see me in my office," Captain Stanley said, already moving toward the door.

"Ah, Cap, I've gotta finish cleaning the oven," Johnny hemmed, hoping to avoid the conversation.

"It wasn't a request," Captain Stanley said, as he exited the kitchen into the bay.

Johnny threw the rag into the sink and took the cup of coffee Roy handed him. He avoided looking Roy in the eye and headed after the Captain.

"Have a seat," Captain Stanley indicated to the chair across from him.

Johnny plopped down in the chair, keeping his eyes on the ground.

"What's goin' on, John?"

"Nothin', Cap."

"C'mon Johnny. I wasn't born yesterday and I didn't just meet you. And I know more about you and Ashley than you think I do."

"Apparently, there's nothin' to know. She's in love with some other guy," Johnny spat out.

"What? Are you sure? I thought the reason she was upset is she thought you were in love with someone else because of some misunderstanding?" Captain Stanley said, surprised by Johnny's statement.

"Yeah, well someone got that information wrong. She took off to be with some guy she knew before and she's gonna move to be with him when she finishes the academy. I guess she was just using me to learn the skills she needed to get into the academy," Johnny shrugged, feeling himself starting to get angry. "She just played me for a fool."

"Johnny, that doesn't sound like Ashley," Captain Stanley said.

"Yeah, well than how do you explain it, huh? She acted like she liked me, like keeping our time together strictly friends was as hard for her as it was for me. Then as soon as she's accepted into the academy she takes off to be with some other guy," Johnny jumped up from the chair and began pacing around the small office. "This was all just a game to her!"

"Johnny, did you talk to her about all this?"

"And say what? You broke my heart. I loved you. And look like a bigger jerk than I already do? No thanks!" Johnny stormed.

"Johnny, that…" Captain Stanley was cut off by the sound of the tones calling out the station to a house fire. He quickly got up and moved to the podium to write down the information.

E

"I think I've got him, Jose," Marisol said, as soon as Frank and Jose walked in the apartment door.

"Marco?"

"Yes, I think I've got him convinced he loves me and that in order for us to be together we both have to run away. A few more dates and I think I can convince him to tell his friends that we are leaving California. I can have him meet me like you want to and when he doesn't show up for work or his friends don't see him again, they'll think he left with me; just like you planned," Marisol smiled at Jose.

"You did good, babe," Jose said, grabbing Marisol and pulling her into a kiss. "Come with us, Frank and I are going to meet our new distributor; but I want to hear all the details of how you're screwin' with Marco."

Frank, Marisol and Jose left the apartment and Marisol gave Jose all the details he wanted on her conversations with Marco. The news left Jose in a generous mood and he brought both her and Frank into the meeting with a man he simply called Shadow. Marisol stood back and watched as Shadow pulled out various drugs for Frank and Jose to test. Frank let Jose do all the negotiations, but the end of the meeting was an agreement for a very large shipment from Shadow for Jose and Frank to distribute out onto the street and for infiltrating the 18th Street gang's territory. It meant a considerable amount of money for C-14, but Marisol also knew it would mean a gang war. Maybe really taking off with Marco wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"Meet me next week, in the old warehouse district, by building 18," Shadow told Jose.

"Frank'll meet you at midnight."

"No way, I deal with you and only you. You want to bring your number 2 to help with transport, that's your risk. But, if I'm gonna be with the drugs, so are you. Equal risk keeps everyone honest," Shadow insisted.

Frank looked over at Jose, was he really going to go along with those terms?

Jose looked over the man. "Done."

E

"I'm telling you, I heard it with my own ears, Jose is gonna pick up the drugs personally. Next week, at midnight," the detective paced in the office. The conversation was not going the way it was supposed to.

"Sure, and that is a great second charge; but if we can get Jose for the attempted murder of Marco, and for receiving drugs with the intent to distribute we can put him away for a long time and have enough leverage to get him to spill his guts on some of the unsolved crimes we suspect C-14 has been committing."

"Unless he succeeds in killing Marco, then you'll have him for life, but you'll have a dead fire fighter."

"Don't let that happen," the Captain said, sitting down in his chair.

The detective let out an exasperated sigh knowing the conversation was over and hating how this was going to have to play out.


	12. Chapter 12

"Tina, can I get you some more coffee?" Ashley asked, as she put away the last breakfast dish.

"No, I'm okay," Tina said quietly.

Ashley turned around and looked at her friend. She stood there for just a minute, looking at the dejected slump of her friend's shoulders.

Tina, feeling her gaze, slowly raised her eyes. "I'm fine, Ashley, really."

"You don't look fine," Ashley said, moving to sit down at the kitchen table with her. "And I don't mean the bruises."

"Believe it or not, this isn't the first time I've had a run in with a patient," Tina said. "It's probably the worst I've ever gotten into, but I get why the patient did it. He wasn't seeing me; he was seeing an ex-girlfriend; I was just the trigger. He's sick, he needs help and he'll get it; although thankfully at a different hospital now."

"Then what's wrong?"

"You, Johnny and Marco," Tina said, standing up and moving toward the living room. "Mike's worried. Marco keeps playing a disappearing act; he's defensive, angry, evasive. Mike called from the station last night. Marco's been seeing Marisol. He's gonna get himself killed. You and Johnny, you're not talking Ashley. You're not talking to each other. You're making assumptions and you know what happens when you assume, right?"

"Oh c'mon, Tina; we're not in junior high," Ashley rolled her eyes.

"Then stop acting like it," Tina turned to face her.

"If you don't need anything else, I think I'll go for a walk," Ashley said, moving toward the front door.

"Running away? I thought you and Dr. Baker already worked on that issue?"

"Mike will be over soon; you'll be fine on your own for a little bit," Ashley snapped, slipping on her shoes and heading out the door.

Ashley walked without a destination in mind; at least she didn't think she had one, until she realized she was only a few blocks from Marco's house. She knew he wasn't supposed to be at his house. In fact, when they left the station Marco was supposed to go to Mike's apartment for their days off. Ashley paused looking around, not quite sure what to do. She stopped and sucked in a breath when she saw the figure of a woman rounding the corner and heading toward the park. Ashley was sure it was Marisol. Ashley turned and hurried after the woman, trying to stay near the buildings and far enough behind that Marisol wouldn't notice her.

Ashley paused and counted to 3 when Marisol rounded another corner. She knew she was getting too close to her and wanted some time to let her get some distance. After counting to three though, Ashley hurried to the corner, so she could make sure she didn't lose sight of Marisol. Ashley rounded the corner, and saw an empty street. Marisol was gone.

She quickly looked around scanning the street. Maybe she went into one of the doors for the apartment buildings. Ashley hurried further down the sidewalk, and gasped when she suddenly felt someone grabbing her from behind and spinning her around. Ashley felt herself pushed against the rough stucco of the building, the cold sharp tip of a knife pressed against her neck. "Who are you?" Marisol hissed.

"Ashley, I'm a friend of Marco's."

"Why are you following me?"

"I know who you are," Ashley said. "I saw you that day with Jose."

Marisol lowered the knife, but didn't put it away. She did take a step back though and looked Ashley over. "That doesn't answer my question; why are you following me?"

"Why are you in Marco's neighborhood? This isn't C-14 territory," Ashley asked, moving slightly away from the wall.

"I'm the one asking the questions," Marisol said, moving a step toward Ashley again.

Ashley resisted the urge to take a step backward.

"I was trying to see if you were meeting Marco."

"That's none of your business," Marisol said, she closed the knife and slipped it back into her pocket.

"It is my business," Ashley insisted, moving toward Marisol.

Marisol instinctively shoved Ashley back, pushing the heel of her hand into Ashley's sternum. Ashley backed into the wall again and moved to rub a hand over her chest. "Are you Marco's girlfriend?" Marisol asked, her eyes narrowing.

Ashley considered telling Marisol she was Marco's girlfriend. Maybe that would make the woman back off and leave Marco alone. Instead she shook her head, "I'm his friend."

Marisol turned and started walking away from Ashley, headed toward the park. Marco was going to meet her there in just a few minutes. Ashley followed her. "I'm Marco's friend too," Marisol said over her shoulder.

"No you're not," Ashley scoffed. "Friends do what is best for the other person; even if it hurts."

"What makes you think I'm not doing what's best for Marco?" Marisol turned to face Ashley once again.

"You're a member of C-14, being near Marco can only be putting him in danger. How's that doing what's best for him?" Ashley accused.

"Maybe I'm gonna leave C-14 and Marco and I are going to leave California and go start a life together."

Ashley and Marisol both turned as a car pulled up next to the curb. Marco got out, "Ashley, what are you doing here?"

"You're talking about leaving? Leaving Station 51? You can't be serious Marco; they're your family," Ashley stared at Marco incredulously.

"C-14 is my family; that's the only way this is fair," Marisol said, her hands going to her hips.

"Fair, Fair!" Ashley felt her breathing starting to increase and her eyes starting to burn. "Your family, would kill you if they knew you were here," Ashley said, the word family dripping sarcasm.

"Ashley, you shouldn't be here," Marco said, moving next to Marisol.

"No, Marco, you're the one that shouldn't be here. Why are you doing this?" Ashley turned toward him, and watched as Marco put his arm around Marisol's waist.

"Ashley, you need to worry about you and Johnny; let me worry about me," Marco said, moving Marisol toward his car and opening the door. Marisol got in and Marco closed the door, turning toward Ashley.

"You wouldn't really leave, would you Marco?" Ashley lowered her voice, her green eyes searching his dark brown ones.

Marco just met her eyes and didn't say anything. He turned to walk to the driver's side of the car, but Ashley grabbed her arm. "Marco?"

"I mean it Ashley; you need to worry about yourself. I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself." Marco pulled his arm free and got into the car, leaving a stunned Ashley staring after him as he pulled away.

E

"Are you okay?" Marisol asked, turning to face Marco. He hadn't said a word since he'd pulled away from his friend 20 minutes ago.

"Yeah," Marco mumbled.

"She's a pretty girl," Marisol said, still wondering exactly what his relationship was with Ashley.

"She's just a friend, Marisol. In fact, she's in love with one of the other guys at the station. Johnny, I've mentioned him. They just can't seem to get their timing down," Marco explained, taking his eyes off the road, just for a brief minute, to take in the woman sitting next to him. She was more beautiful to him every time he saw her.

"You didn't answer her when she asked if you'd really leave," Marisol said quietly.

"It's a lot to think about Marisol," Marco said.

"Probably not the best time to have this conversation," Marisol said. "You probably need to be mentally preparing for your game."

Marco chuckled. "I'll be honest; I don't do anything special to prepare for a game. The preparation is all done during the practices, or when I'm jogging and working out. The physical preparation is all I really need. I think the nature of my job helps me keep my mental focus."

"Whatdaya mean?"

"When you're in a fire, you have to keep your focus on a hundred different things. Your partner and his movements, the way the fire is moving, the feel of the hose and the water pressure. Any movement or sound around you that could mean someone is trapped. When I play soccer, that same focus is on the ball, where all the members of my team are on the field, where the members of the other team are on the field."

"So being a fireman makes you a great soccer player?"

"Well, for me it definitely helps."

"Not to mention you're in great shape," Marisol smiled, looking over Marco's physique as he drove.

Marco smiled feeling her eyes roam over his body. A part of him wished they were on their way to a romantic weekend getaway and not to a soccer match that would leave him hot, sweaty and exhausted.

"I'm glad I got to come with you today," Marisol said.

"Me too." Marisol reached over and placed her hand on Marco's thigh.

They drove the rest of the way to the soccer match, mostly in silence, but chatting every now and then about nothing important. Marco let himself relax and just enjoy the day. As he played the game, he watched Marisol cheering him from the sidelines. He scored 4 goals that day and knew some of it was related to the fact that he was showing off for Marisol.

At the end of the game, the team walked off the field toward the locker room and Marisol was among the girls waiting along the fence line waving at the guys and yelling out their congratulations. Marco felt himself swell with pride; he thought she was definitely the prettiest girl out there.

He quickly showered and dressed and headed toward the area where he told Marisol he would meet her. His strides came to a halt as he rounded the corner and saw her standing their talking with a few of the other girlfriends. He hadn't really stopped to take in her appearance earlier because of the confrontation with Ashley. Marisol's long black hair was pulled back in a royal blue ribbon, the long ponytail hanging halfway down her back. The ribbon matched the blue shirt she wore, tucked into blue jeans that hugged her curves. She wore open toed shoes, her toe nails painted red. As if she sensed him watching her, Marisol turned and smiled at him. Marco knew in that moment that he would cross the country barefoot over broken glass for her.

Marisol turned back to the women she had been talking too. "Excuse me," she said, turning to move toward Marco. Her steps faltering as she got close to him. He looked so intense. Marisol felt a flitter of fear spread through her chest.

She opened her mouth to ask Marco what was wrong, but her words were cut off as he closed his mouth over hers, pulling her into a deep kiss. Marisol let her arms go around his neck, threading her fingers into his thick hair. She allowed Marco to press her more tightly against him.

"Yes," Marco whispered.

"Yes, what?" Marisol asked, feeling a bit dazed by their kiss.

"Yes, I'll leave them for you. Just say when," Marco said, pulling back to look into Marisol's eyes.

Marisol blinked, shocked by his words. "Seriously?"

"Just tell me when. I'll pick you up and we'll leave. I have family in Arizona, we can go that way, or we can go anywhere in the country where you want to go," Marco lifted a finger and traced her lower lip.

"You like to ski, what about Colorado? You can teach me to ski," Marisol wrapped her arms around Marco's waist and let her eyes meet his. She could tell he was serious by the look in his eyes. The flitter of fear filled her chest again, but Marisol quickly pushed it away.

"As long as I'm with you, I can make any place home," Marco said, dropping to kiss her lips again.

"Next week," Marisol said, when Marco pulled back, ending their kiss. "Let's leave next week. Jose has a big drug deal he's doing with some new supplier. We'll be down in the old warehouse district, by Building 18 next week. While he's busy completing the deal, I can meet you and we can take off. It'll be a couple of hours before Jose realizes I'm gone. By then, we can be across the state line."

"Next week," Marco said, slipping his arm around Marisol's shoulder and leading her toward his car.

They were both quiet on the way home, each lost in their own thoughts. Marco stopped near where he had picked Marisol up earlier that day. He put the car into park and turned to look at Marisol.

"Having second thoughts?" She asked, her voice carrying a note of uneasiness.

"Nope. Are you?"

"A little," Marisol said honestly. "I'm leaving behind C-14 and Jose. It doesn't really compare. You're leaving behind the guys you work with, who really care about you. But, more than that, you're leaving your parents, your siblings."

"They all know how to get on a plane Marisol. I can still see them."

"Then what were you thinking?"

"How to talk you in to going back to my house and staying the night," Marco gave her a seductive smile.

Marisol leaned over and brushed her lips lightly against Marco's. "I'd like to stay the night with you, Marco. But, let's wait until we leave. Right now, I still belong to Jose, at least in his eyes. I'd like us to be a real couple, living our lives together, the first time we…, well," Marisol blushed.

"Make love," Marco said, his voice husky with desire.

Marisol allowed him to pull her into another kiss and didn't resist when he leaned her back, his body covering hers. His hand wandered down her side and slipped under her shirt. She groaned softly as he ran his hand over her skin. He had working hands, rough with callouses, they caused her body to react in a way she hadn't experienced with other men. Marisol pulled him in closer, feeling like she couldn't get close enough to him.

They continued making out for several minutes, until Marisol finally pulled back. "Marco, wait. Really. I want to wait."

Marco eased back.

"Are you mad?" Marisol asked.

"Of course not," Marco reassured her. "I'll never make you do something you're not comfortable with, Marisol."

Marisol ran her hand down Marco's cheek. "I'll leave you a note in the dugout with the exact time and location of when we can leave."

"I love you, Marisol," Marco said.

Marisol turned to look at him and felt the emotions overwhelming her. "I love you too," she whispered.

Marco leaned over and gave her a brief kiss before she got out of the car and started walking away from him. Marco hated thinking about the fact she was going home to Jose. But, it was only for one more week, he told himself. He wouldn't let himself think about the fact that he'd be leaving behind everything else he loved.

Marco turned the car and headed toward Mike's. He refused to let himself think about how he'd tell the guys he was leaving.

E

Marisol opened the apartment door and saw Jose and Frank playing cards with a couple other members of C-14. Jose took in the look on her face and immediately kicked everyone out of the apartment, except Frank.

"Your plan worked," Marisol said, moving into the kitchen and pulling a beer out of the fridge. "Marco told me he loved me. Asked me to leave with him. I told him next week. I figure you can get this new supply to start expanding C-14's territory and eliminate Marco at the same time. That will ensure you're place as the leader of C-14." Marisol opened the beer and took a long swallow. She could feel herself shaking inside. This was all happening so fast. Could she really go through with it?

"And what do you want to do, Marisol?" Jose stood and looked at her.

Marisol lowered the beer and let her eyes lock with Jose's. "I want to be the one to pull the trigger. I owe it to Rico," Marisol said quietly.

Jose slowly let the smile spread across his face. "That's my girl."

He looked over at Frank. "Didn't I tell you she could do it. "

Frank looked at Marisol, and nodded slowly. "Yeah, yeah, you did."

Marisol looked at the two of them and then raised the beer can, finishing the can before lowering it again. The dye had been cast; it was too late to go back now.


	13. Chapter 13

Marisol looked up as she heard someone stepping out onto the fire escape. She moved over slightly so Frank could sit down next to her. "Where's Jose?"

"He went out, he didn't tell me where," Frank said, leaning his back against the railing of the fire escape so he could look at Marisol, who was leaning against the building. "Why do you want to be the one to pull the trigger?"

Marisol sat quietly for a few minutes and Frank began to think she wasn't going to answer the question. "It's not fair," Marisol said quietly.

"What's not fair?"

"Marco's living his life and my brother is dead," anger creeped into Marisol's soft words. "You should've seen him today. Out there on the soccer field having the time of his life. He has a job he loves, friends that love him and hobbies he enjoys. Rico should've had that same chance."

Marisol sat quietly for a few minutes, picking at her fingernail. "One of his friends approached me today. She was trying to convince me to leave Marco alone. Telling me that friends do what's best for the other person. I wanted to say, like Marco did for Rico? If he hadn't left him, if he'd stayed with him when he went to find Jorge, or stayed until he found him in that fire, Rico'd be alive today. He's dead because Marco left him. He was supposed to be his friend, his brother, and he left him." Marisol wiped at tears that flowed down her cheeks.

"Do you think Marco slit Rico's throat?" Frank asked, needing to know the answer.

"No," Marisol said, then she quickly looked up at Frank. "I don't know. I mean, I guess. I just, I kinda have trouble imagining that Marco could actively kill Rico, they were best friends."

"So you think Jose did it then?"

"No, no way," Marisol said, standing up. "I think Jorge got free somehow and saw Rico and Jorge killed him."

"I thought they found Jorge tied to a chair?" Frank asked, watching Marisol closely.

"Jose must've found Jorge after he killed Rico," Marisol said, weakly. "Or maybe Marco did kill Rico; maybe he thought Rico was gonna kill him."

"Or maybe you're dating the guy that killed your brother," Frank said, standing to his feet. "Your too good for him Marisol. I hate the way Jose treats you." Frank moved closer to him.

"Your Jose's number 2," Marisol said, moving away from Frank. "What your saying is treasonous. You owe Jose your loyalty."

"Are you gonna tell me you haven't thought about what it'd be like to actually leave with Marco, like you're pretending? To get out of this life? To be with someone who didn't hit you, or treat you like his property?" Frank moved toward her again.

Marisol stepped back into the apartment and Frank followed her.

"No, I haven't thought about it," Marisol said through clenched teeth. "Spending time with Marco makes me sick. He's responsible for Rico dying. I belong to Jose and I'm loyal to him and no one else. What I'm doing with Marco is to help Jose; Marco means nothing to me. And you're being disloyal even having this conversation with me. You need to leave," Marisol pointed toward the door.

"Chill out, Marisol," Frank reasoned.

"Get out!"

Frank put up his hands, "Okay, okay." He opened the door and headed toward the street. He rounded the corner and walked a few blocks to a local bar. He walked in and headed toward the back booth, sliding in and reaching for the beer that was waiting for him.

"So?"

"She's loyal to you, Jose," Frank said. "She's not convinced Marco actively killed Rico, but she blames him anyway. She doesn't believe you killed Rico. She went ballistic when I suggested she actually is considering leaving with Marco. She said everything she's doing makes her sick to her stomach, she hates Marco so much, but she's doing it for you."

"Good, I needed to be sure. I'm still not entirely sure we don't have a cop hiding in our group. I needed to make sure it wasn't Marisol," Jose said, lifting the whiskey shot and gulping it down.

"You thought Marisol might be the cop?"

"You can't find who is, the only people we haven't looked at are Marisol," Jose paused, "and you."

"You think I'm the snitch?" Frank jumped out of the booth, his face red with anger.

"Sit down, Frank. You're gonna get your chance to prove yourself to me next week," Jose said, with a smirk.

"Prove myself, man, I've always had your back. How can you question me?" Frank sat back down, but his eyes were angry.

"But you've never killed for me," Jose said, his eyes narrowing.

"So, what, you want me to kill someone to prove I'm not a cop? Marisol's already gonna kill Marco for you, who else you dead?" Frank asked.

"Marisol's not gonna kill Marco," Jose scoffed. "After what that rat has put me through, there is no way I'm letting anyone kill Marco but me."

"Then why did you ask if Marisol wanted to do it?" Frank asked.

"There's a cop in our midst, Frank," Jose said, sliding out of the booth and standing up. "It's either you or Marisol. Your both gonna be with me when I kill Marco. And when whichever one of you is the cop goes to interfere, the other one's gonna kill them. Either you're gonna kill Marisol, or Marisol's gonna kill you. Either way, the cop is dead and the one who isn't a cop has proven their loyalty to me."

Jose walked out of the bar as Frank stared after him, his mouth open, in total shock.

E

Ashley stopped as she exited her room and found Mike and Tina waiting for her in the living room. She had her bag all packed and had been hoping to sneak out before either of them got up. "What are you doing up so early," Ashley tried to ask nonchalantly.

"Waiting for you," Tina said.

"You didn't honestly think we were gonna let you sneak off to the academy without saying good-bye did you? The guys are all meeting us at The Breakfast Club for a farewell breakfast," Mike said, moving to take her bag. "I'll put it in your car for you. Walk down the stairs with Tina, okay." Mike opened the door and left the apartment, not giving Ashley the opportunity to object.

Tina looked over at her. "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday."

"You don't have to apologize, you were right. I was running away and I am acting like a child." Ashley said, looking down at the carpet.

"I know," Tina said, and smiled when Ashley looked up, surprised. "But, I could've said it nicer. That's why I'm apologizing."

Ashley chuckled and shook her head. "I'm scared. Things in my life don't usually go well, and when they do, something horrible happens. I really wanted to get into the academy, I get in and I lose Johnny."

"You didn't lose Johnny," Tina said.

"He's in love with someone else," Ashley objected.

"No, he's not," Tina said.

"What?"

"You need to talk to Johnny," Tina insisted.

"Tina, c'mon, what do you mean he's not. Tell me," Ashley pressed her.

"It's not my place, Ashley. You and Johnny need to start learning to communicate with each other. The rest of us could straighten out a lot of your issues; but a relationship can't be you, Johnny and all your friends." Tina moved toward the apartment door.

Ashley stood still for a few seconds trying to absorb what Tina had just said. Was this all a misunderstanding? If it was, did it change anything? Didn't Jack tell her that relationships between people like them don't work with normal people? She'd been hiding so much of her past from her friends, afraid if they really knew everything about her, they'd hate her. Or worse, pity her.

"Are you coming?" Tina asked.

Ashley realized Tina had already left the apartment and was on her way down the stairs. She quickly grabbed her purse, closed and locked the apartment door and caught up with Tina.

Marco, Chet, Captain Stanley and Roy all rose from their seats as Ashley, Mike and Tina entered the restaurant. Ashley hugged each one of them as she made her way to her seat. She paused briefly and looked at Roy after they had hugged, her unspoken question hanging between them. "He's not coming," Roy said softly, reaching over and giving her hand a squeeze.

Ashley merely nodded and sat down, forcing herself to turn her attention to the men that had come to wish her good luck.

"Ashley, we thought the best way to send you off to the academy was to allow you to garner wisdom from our mistakes. With that in mind, we are each going to tell you one story of something incredibly stupid we did at the academy," Captain Stanley began as the food was served. His announcement brought laughter from the group.

"Since, I'm the Captain, and hopefully everyone else's story will top mine, I will go first," Captain Stanley joked. "My very first day at the academy, they ran us pretty hard. My team leader was former military and ran the day like boot camp; so we literally hadn't eaten all day. I was scarfing down my dinner, trying to shove a whole sandwich in my mouth in two bites, and drink my glass of milk, when I choked on the food. I coughed, trying to clear my throat and spit the food all over the team leader," Captain Stanley shook his head, still able to vividly see the scene before him. "My advice to you, is chew your food and swallow before you take a drink."

"It's a good thing you spit out the food though, Cap, you didn't have paramedics back then," Roy laughed.

"Like you, Ashley, I had the benefit of spending time with fire fighters before I started the academy; so I already had a lot of knowledge and skills my counterparts didn't. Unfortunately, in my desire to want to be the best and show-off how much I already knew; I was being a little too boastful and maybe a bit cocky. That doesn't go over real well with your classmates. We had a drill where they rang the klaxons in the middle of the night, we all jumped up and started to get dressed. I couldn't get my pants on and my sleep addled brain couldn't figure out why. By the time I had realized the cause, the Captain was already in the room and my pants were still down around my ankles. So, no matter how much more you know and how much better you are than your classmates, don't point it out," Marco said seriously.

"Why couldn't you get your pants on?" Ashley asked, when she managed to finish giggling.

"They guys had sown my pants shut," Marco said, his face turning red. That brought on a fresh wave of laughter from the group.

"Mine is also a clothing malfunction," Roy said, when the laughter had died down. "My advice to you is to make sure you have new shoe laces."

Ashley raised her eyebrows, wondering where Roy's story was going to go.

"My shoe laces were a bit worn in my boots and when we were hurrying getting ready for a drill, one of 'em broke. I figured it wouldn't matter and just rushed to the drill. Well, for this drill we were working a fire that was next to a freezer section. They wanted to show us how the temperature changes affect the hoses, affect us physically, etc. One of the things the sudden drop in temperature does is shrink certain body parts. I'm talking about my feet, Chet," Roy said, cutting off Chet as he began to speak.

"I had to then climb down a ladder with the mannequin, who was supposed to be my victim. When I swung my foot over the window ledge to get on the ladder, my boot went flying off my foot and hit one of the other members of the class right in the face," Roy shook his head. "Make sure you have new laces."

Mike snorted he was laughing so hard. "Okay, Mike, what's your story?" Roy asked.

Mike blushed slightly and looked at the guys for a second before answering. "No one will be surprised to find I liked to be prepared for everything in advance. I would ask all of the leaders for details of the next day's assignments and then make sure I had everything I could possible need ready. Well, the people that run the academy are not novices. They knew what I was doing and they knew fires are anything but predictable. One day when I asked, they gave me a very specific scenario. I should've known something was up," Mike shook his head. "Anyway, I was all prepared and they sprung a completely unrelated scenario on us and nothing I'd prepared was right. Because I had this idea in my head of what to do, it completely threw me. But, I didn't want to come across like I couldn't react in the moment. Unfortunately, my brain started working faster than my body and when I finally started to move, I tripped all over the equipment I'd sat down near my station. I ended up sprawled all over the ground, and managed to get myself some pretty good bruises."

Tina laughed and put her arms around Mike's waist. "And you learned to always be prepared for the unexpected."

"That's my advice. Fires, car accidents, medical emergencies, are unpredictable. Expect the unexpected and rely not on your equipment, but on your training," Mike said.

All eyes turned to Chet, who just sat there.

"Okay, Chet, spill it," Captain Stanley ordered.

Chet cleared his throat. "As an odd coincidence, there was a phantom in my academy training class too."

"You don't say," Mike said.

"Really?" Captain Stanley said, raising one eyebrow.

"Shocker," Marco added.

"Anyway," Chet said. "There was one particular Captain that was difficult to say the least. I mean, he and Hookraider coulda been brothers. The Phantom decided to seek his revenge after a particularly nasty afternoon of drills and PT. He rigged a spaghetti sauce bomb to drop on the Captain when he opened his dorm door."

"Oh no," Roy said, knowing where this was going.

"If the Phantom ever pulls a stunt like that at our station he'll be the only one cleaning the latrines until the end of time," Captain Stanley said.

"As you can imagine, the Captain was none too happy. And he made all the men line up and hold out their hands. Turns out the Phantom had done a good job of washing his hands, but not such a great job of cleaning out underneath his fingernails. My advice to you is keep your nails trimmed and clean," Chet finished as the guys burst out laughing.

"What did you have to do?" Mike asked when he managed to catch his breath.

"I never said it was me," Chet said, feigning innocence.

"Yeah right," came a voice behind Ashley.

Everyone turned to look as Johnny walked up to the group.

"You came," Ashley said, letting herself smile at the handsome, young paramedic.

"Yeah, can I talk to you?" Johnny asked.

"Absolutely," Ashley said, standing up and following Johnny outside.

"I've missed you," Johnny said, when he turned to face her.

"I've missed you, too."

"There never was another woman, Ashley. I was telling Roy that I was in love with you," Johnny said, wanting to reach for Ashley's hand, but unsure if he should.

"I'm so sorry, Johnny."

"Because you're in love with someone else?" Johnny asked, moving a step back.

"No, no, that's not why. I'm sorry because I haven't really been honest with you. Well, I haven't not been honest, I just…," Ashley took a deep breath. "There's so much you don't know about me, Johnny. So much I've been hiding from all of you, about me, about my past."

"And you think if I knew, I wouldn't love you," Johnny finished for her.

Ashley just nodded.

"Has learning about Marco's past changed the way you think about him?"

Ashley thought for a few seconds. "Yes, as a matter of fact, it has. I admire him even more for what he's overcome."

"Do you really think it'd be any different between you and I?" Johnny asked, this time when he moved forward, he did reach for her hand.

"I've lost so many people Johnny. My mom, my dad, my sister; more foster homes than I care to count. Doesn't that say that maybe there's something wrong with me that people keep leaving me," Ashley spoke her fear out loud.

Johnny reached forward and pushed back a piece of her hair, his dark eyes softening as they met hers. "I won't leave you, Ashley."

Ashley swallowed hard. "Would you be willing to wait for me? I'm not ready for us to say we love each other Johnny. I need for you to really know who I am first. The good, the bad and the really ugly. I need to know that when you hear some of the things that I've been through, some of the things I've done, that you'll still feel the same way."

"I'll still love you, Ashley." Johnny moved to put his arms around her waist, but Ashley pulled back.

"Please, I need us to just be friends for a bit longer. I need to tell you some things about me and I need you to feel free to walk away from me," Ashley insisted.

"I'm not going to walk away from you, Ashley."

"I used to steal; food, clothes. I even robbed kids walking down the street for whatever they had on them," Ashley said, her gaze on the ground, afraid to see the look in Johnny's eyes.

Johnny blinked, stunned by her statement.

"I told you there were things about me that could make you…," Ashley couldn't finish what she was thinking. She had known if Johnny knew all the truth about her he wouldn't be able to love her. She took a step back.

Johnny reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her into an embrace. "Now isn't the time to get into this conversation," Johnny said, looking at his watch. "Not with you having to leave for the academy in five minutes."

He eased her back, so his eyes could meet hers. "I want to eventually hear more about that time in your life, Ashley. But, it doesn't change how I feel about you. It does help me understand how you feel about you though. I can wait for you. I'll be here when you get a break from the academy. And I'll be here when you finish the academy. In the meantime, we can write letters and you can call me whenever you can. I'll learn more about you and you can learn more about me and we'll learn to talk to each other and hear each other. Then, we'll see where we are, okay?"

Ashley smiled. "I'd like that."

"I've been waiting almost six months to kiss you though; can I kiss you good-bye?" Johnny smiled his crooked smile, his eyes hopeful.

Ashley smiled and took a step toward him, her arms slipping around his neck.

Johnny slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his body. His eyes searched hers for a brief moment before he lowered his mouth to hers. He forced himself to keep the kiss light, when he wanted to deepen it and refused to let himself say, "I love you"; when the kiss ended.

"I'll miss you," Ashley said, her hand caressing his cheek for just a moment before she stepped back.

"I'll miss you more," Johnny said, letting her go.

"It's about time," Tina said, and they turned to see the whole gang watching them. Johnny just smiled, but Ashley blushed and took a step behind him.

The gang moved over and started giving Ashley hugs good-bye.

"Stay safe," Mike said, as he hugged her.

"Make us proud," Captain Stanley said, holding her an extra second.

"I'll try, I promise," she whispered back.

"Stay humble," Marco joked.

"Take care of yourself, Marco," Ashley said, holding his arms, when he would've pulled back.

Marco resisted the urge to tell her to worry about herself, he was a big boy. Instead he kissed her on the cheek, and stepped back.

"Be good," Chet said, as she hugged him.

"You first," Ashley retorted.

Chet chuckled, as he let her go. "No way."

"I'm gonna miss you, Ash," Roy said, as she moved to hug him.

"Give Joanne, Chris and Jenny all a big hug and kiss for me," Ashley said, holding on to him.

Roy kissed her cheek. "I will."

The gang watched while Ashley got in her car and drove away. They didn't go to move until they couldn't see her car anymore.

"Gonna be okay?" Roy asked, as he slapped a hand on Johnny's shoulder.

"I got my kiss," Johnny smiled.

"But it's gotta last you several months," Mike joked.

"Please, that's more action than he usually gets," Chet joked.

"Shut up, Chet," Johnny rebuffed.

The guys started to move to their own vehicles.

"Hey guys, before you all go," Marco stopped them.

The gang turned to look at Marco. Captain Stanley put his hands in his pocket, having a pretty good idea of what was coming.

Marco cleared his throat. "I want you all to know I really appreciate all of you putting me up these past couple of weeks, and dealing with all the drama with C-14, well, and my own attitude lately. But, I need to tell you something," Marco paused to look at each of them. This was harder than he thought it would be.

"I've been seeing Marisol for the last couple of weeks. I know it seems sudden, and more something like Gage would do, but I've fallen in love with her," Marco tried to add a bit of humor into what he was saying.

None of the guys laughed; in fact, no one moved.

"I love her guys. She's agreed to leave C-14 and we're gonna leave California. Where is still a bit up in the air, but maybe Colorado. We're leaving this week. My last shift with 51 will be tomorrow," Marco rushed what he needed to say.

The guys exchanged stunned looks, except for Captain Stanley, who kept his gaze on Marco.

"C'mon guys, I love her. This is what I want, no, it's what I need to do to be happy," Marco said, when several minutes had passed and no one had spoken.

"Marco, we're gonna miss you, man. Let us know where you land so we can keep in touch," Captain Stanley said, moving forward to shake Marco's hand.

Mike watched him and followed his Captain's lead; that's what a good Engineer did. "Congratulations. Maybe Tina and I can come out some time and you can take us out skiing."

Johnny and Roy exchanged glances and then both moved to shake Marco's hand. "Good luck," Johnny said. "We're always here, Marco," Roy added.

"Thanks, guys," Marco said.

He looked over at Chet, who stood rooted to the ground. "Whatdya want me to say?" Chet asked, his tone angry. "Congratulations, you're leaving your life for some chick you don't know. What's the matter with you? You've known this girl less than a month. I don't care that you knew her before, that was years ago. You're not the same person you were then, neither is she! You're wrong, Marco; this is a huge mistake and I'm enough of a friend to tell you the truth!"

"Chet," Captain Stanley cautioned.

"What? You gonna give me latrine duty for speaking the truth? This is stupid!" Chet looked at the group; no one said anything. "You want to ruin your life, go ahead. But, don't expect me to pat you on the back while you do it," Chet said, and angrily stormed over toward his station wagon, getting in and slamming the door shut before pulling out of the parking lot.

"Just give him some time to cool off," Captain Stanley said.

"No," Johnny spoke up suddenly. "Chet's right. Look at me and Ashley and all the drama we've had this last month. We've known each other for almost 6 months and are realizing we don't know each other at all. You've known this Marisol for less than a month and you're gonna leave the job you love, leave your family, your friends to move out of state with her."

"Johnny, Marco's a grown man, with a good head on his shoulders; he can make his own decisions," Roy defended Marco.

"Thanks, Roy," Marco said.

"You can't be serious?" Johnny asked.

"I am."

"Mike, what do you think?" Johnny asked, turning to the Engineer.

"Marco's gotta live his own life," Mike said.

"Really?" Tina asked, shocked at his response. "She's a member of a gang; as far as we know she's could be a drug addict, or even have killed someone. She could be setting Marco up. I've worked with these gang members, they're ruthless and they're liars."

"Thank you," Johnny said, waving his hand at Tina. "Listen to her, Marco."

"I'm not listening to any of this," Marco said, moving toward his car.

"You obviously can't stay with Chet right now, man. Why don't you come over to my place," Mike called out.

"And you can be there to keep him company," Tina said, folding her arms over her chest.

"Look, we're all feeling emotional right now. Why doesn't everyone come over our house tonight for dinner and we can talk like grown-ups," Roy offered.

"I've got plans," Marco said. "I'll just see you all on shift tomorrow."

"Are you coming over tonight?" Mike asked.

"Thanks, man, but I think I've got other plans," Marco said. He figured he would rent a hotel room and even if he and Marisol didn't make love tonight, they could at least spend the time together. Plan their move and where they wanted to go.

"I think I'll just go hiking," Johnny said. "I need some time alone."

Tina moved toward Mike's truck. "Thanks, man; but apparently I have my own relationship issues I need to work out."

Roy looked over at Captain Stanley. "You and Beth wanna come over?"

"I'll do you one better. Why don't you and Joanne drop the kids off and we can watch them while you take that pretty wife of yours out on the town. One member of my crew should have a good relationship," Captain Stanley said, slapping a hand on Roy's shoulder.

"Thanks, Cap. It's gonna be alright, isn't it?"

Captain Stanley gave Roy's shoulder a squeeze and then moved toward his car. He wished he could say yes; but he was more worried about Marco than he wanted to admit.


	14. Chapter 14

Marco slipped the key into the lock and then turned to put a hand on Marisol's lower back, guiding her into the hotel room. Marisol turned on a light, while Marco closed and locked the door.

"So now are you going to tell me what's eating you?" Marisol asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Nothing," Marco said, for the fourth time that night.

Marisol smiled. "You keep saying that, and I keep asking because you're a lousy liar."

"I told the guys that I was seeing you and that we're leaving California. My last shift with 51's is tomorrow," Marco said, as he moved across the room to adjust the air conditioner unit.

"You what?" Marisol stood up and turned to look at him.

"What?" Marco said, surprised by her reaction.

"You quit your job?"

"That's the plan, right? You're leaving Jose and C-14, I'm leaving Station 51 and we're gonna go be together. That is the plan, isn't it Marisol?" Marco moved closer to her.

"Uh, yeah, I just, I guess," Marisol stammered for a minute. She turned away from Marco for a few seconds. "I guess I just hadn't thought about the fact you'd tell the guys ahead of time. It just seems so real now." Marisol kept her back to Marco.

He moved over and put his hands on her arms. "I'm in this for real, Marisol. All the way."

Marisol turned to look at him. "Are you?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah, of course."

"That's why I brought you here tonight," Marco said, moving to sit on the bed.

"Marco, I meant it when I said I wanted to be free of Jose before we slept together," Marisol said, eyeing the bed warily.

"I know," Marco said, although feeling a bit disappointed. "But, if we're seriously gonna leave LA in a few days, we need to decide where we're gonna go."

"I think I'm okay with Colorado," Marisol said, moving to sit down next to Marco. "I've never seen snow."

"Never?"

"I've never been outside of East LA," Marisol said.

"Well, we'll have to remedy that," Marco said. "On our way to Colorado we can do some sightseeing first. I'll take you by Lake Tahoe, and we can go see the Grand Canyon. We can get married in Las Vegas on our way," Marco said, watching Marisol's face for her reaction to his suggestion.

"Get married?" Marisol turned to look at him, standing up again.

"Yes, get married. Isn't that part of the plan leaving together? Becoming each other's family?" Marco said, standing up to face her.

"No, I mean, yes, maybe, eventually," Marisol stammered. "You're moving too fast. Next you're gonna wanna talk about having kids."

"Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I do want to have kids. Don't you?" Marco asked.

"Yes, someday, maybe," Marisol said.

"Can you be anymore non-committal?" Marco asked.

"Can't we start with something a little easier?" Marisol asked.

"Like what?" Marco said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"How about jobs," Marisol suggested. "How are we gonna support ourselves? I'm leaving with nothing. How are we gonna pay to get to Colorado, get a place to live? Find jobs?"

"If you're sure Colorado is where you want to go, I'll touch base with the fire department in whatever city we decide and see if they have any openings. I've been to Crested Butte many times for skiing. I've even met a few guys in the department."

"Crested Butte is fine," Marisol said, absent-mindedly.

"What about you Marisol, what do you want to do?" Marco asked.

"What?" Marisol blinked and looked at him.

"Do you want to stay home and take care of the house and kids or do you want a career Marisol?"

"I've always thought about teaching," Marisol said, slowly. Her mind obviously seeing something he couldn't.

"I think you'd be a great teacher," Marco reached for her hand and pulled her back to sit down on the bed.

"You can enroll in school to get your degree."

"How are we gonna pay to get out there?"

"I have money saved, Marisol. Skiing costs money, but it doesn't cost me much to play soccer. I don't have extravagant tastes. I have plenty saved up to get us by until I start working again, and I can sell my house. That'll easily allow you to go to school."

"You have that much saved up?"

"Well, I mean, I can't stay out of work for months. But, yeah, we'll be fine," Marco squeezed her hand and gave her a full smile. "Ready to move onto the topic of marriage and kids?"

Marisol stood up. "Marco…," she hesitated. Her mind was spinning. She knew this was part of the plan, but he was giving up so much to be with her. She waivered in her resolve to do what she needed to do.

"It's okay," Marco stood and walked up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and dropped his head into her hair. "I know it's a lot Marisol, but we'll be okay. I promise. I'll take care of until you feel strong enough to be an equal partner in the relationship. I'll help you achieve all your dreams."

"It's just a lot to take in, Marco," Marisol said, turning in his arms to face him. "Do you think we can just lay in bed and talk about Crested Butte. Maybe you can tell me a bit more about your life these last few years? We have the where and when, we can discuss the rest later right?"

"We have our whole lives, Marisol; we don't need to figure out every detail tonight," Marco took her hand and led her back to the bed. They laid down and she snuggled into his chest. He stroked her hair as he told her stories about life at Station 51, some soccer games that were too amazing to believe and harrowing close calls on some of his skiing adventures.

Marisol let herself listen to his stories all the while asking if she could live with what was coming in just a few days.

E

"I can't believe you're still mad at me," Mike said, when Tina sat down on the opposite end of the couch, rather than curling up beside him as was their routine.

"You're not helping Marco by denying the glaring issues with his relationship with Marisol," Tina said, turning to face Mike.

"Marco isn't Johnny, Tina," Mike said, exhaling in frustration. "He doesn't go off half-cocked at the drop of the hat. He isn't constantly falling in and out of love. Marco is deliberant in what he does; he's careful and logical. Outside of the Captain, Marco is the most like me. I knew in very few dates that you were going to be important to me."

"And yet, we are not giving up our individual lives and running away together," Tina said. "From everything you just described what Marco is doing now is completely out of character. That screams Danger Will Robinson," Tina said, borrowing a line from the TV show Lost in Space.

Mike rubbed his forehead. "Marco's gonna do whatever Marco wants to do. If I alienate him, when he's in trouble he won't feel he can come to me. As the Engineer, it's my job to give these guys all the resources they need to get their job done. It's also my job to anticipate in advance what they're gonna need. If Marisol isn't who Marco thinks she is, he's gonna need someone to turn to for help. Do you really think that's gonna be Chet or Johnny who just told him how stupid he's being? It's gonna be the guys that he isn't afraid will say, told ya so."

"I get that, Mike. I really do. But, you should be trying to stop the mistake before he makes it. He's quitting his job. What happens if he tries to come back in 3 months; will his job still be there?" Tina asked.

"Probably not," Mike answered honestly.

"You should be trying to stop the mistake."

"I don't know how to stop him," Mike stood up and paced around the living room. "Marco's head strong. I'm not gonna talk him out of this decision."

Mike sat back down and put his head in his hands. "I can't save him, Tina. It's killing me watching him walk into this inferno and I can't provide him any of the equipment to spare himself."

Tina slid over and wrapped her arms around Mike, pulling him close to her. "I'm so sorry, Mike."

He turned so he could wrap her in his arms and let himself lean against her, feeling her compassion invading his soul. He hadn't known her very long, but he already couldn't imagine his life without her. If this was how Marco was feeling about Marisol, he did understand why he was making stupid decisions. If Tina told him tomorrow she had to move across the country, Mike knew he'd follow her.

He leaned back so he could look into her brown eyes. "I love you, Tina," Mike said, his voice barely above a whisper.

A smile spread across Tina's face as she absorbed not only the words, but the depth of emotion visible in Mike's blue eyes. She ran a hand through his short sandy brown hair, "I love you too, Mike."

Mike leaned in and kissed her, putting all of the feelings that were bubbling in his chest into the kiss. After several minutes, Tina pulled back breathless. Mike scooped her up in his arms and carried her toward the bedroom. He knew he'd just taken a step that was going to drastically change his life and he wouldn't change that for anything in the world.

E

"What are you gonna do?" Beth asked, taking her eyes off the kids just briefly to look at her husband. Chris and Jennifer DeSoto were playing in the shallow end of their pool with their two daughters; and Hank and Beth were watching them, while Hank grilled hot dogs for dinner.

Hank shook his head. "I have no idea. I've got a call into Chief McConnike to see what my options are. I can't really refuse a resignation, but maybe I can require more time."

"What about a leave of absence?" Beth suggested.

"Maybe, if Marco will go for it. I've never seen him like this Beth. I'd be shocked by this behavior even if it was Gage. My men just aren't this reckless. He doesn't know anything about this Marisol."

"What about Lieutenant Crockett, can he check to see if she's been arrested, or if there's any information on her?"

"Beth, that's a great idea," Hank said, moving over to kiss his wife's cheek. "As soon as I get done grilling the hot dogs, we'll get the kids out of the pool and I'll go call him."

As Hank pulled the hot dogs off the grill, Beth gathered the kids, wrapping them in big beach towels and sitting them down at the picnic table. She poured drinks and dropped handfuls of chips on their plates. Once everyone was served, Hank grabbed a hot dog and headed into the house to make a call.

"Hi, Ron. Do you have a minute to talk?" Hank asked when the Lieutenant answered the call to his office on the second ring.

"Sure, Hank. Has there been more issues with C-14 and Marco?"

"Sort of," Hank answered. "Marco has gotten involved with a woman in C-14, that he knew when he was younger. I only have her first name, Marisol. But, I know she's connect to Jose somehow."

"She sure is; she's his girlfriend," Lieutenant Crockett said.

"Well, I think that relationship is about to change. Marco's planning on quitting Station 51 and they're going to take off together," Hank filled him in on the latest development.

"What? Are you sure?" Lieutenant Crocket said.

"Marco told the guys today. Tomorrow's his last day with us. I just want to find out if this Marisol has any history of violence, or criminal activity. Anything I can use to change Marco's mind," Hank explained.

"I'm not familiar with her rap sheet, Hank; but I'll do some digging. I don't know that I'll have the information by tomorrow; but I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, Ron. I appreciate anything you can do to help," Hank hung up the phone, at least feeling like he was trying to stop Marco.

Lieutenant Crockett looked at the phone for a few seconds after Hank disconnected the call and then picked it back up, calling his contact in the Major Crimes Gang Division.

"Tony, I got some news, can we meet?" Lieutenant Crockett said, when the phone was answered. He and the Lieutenant for Major Crimes chatted for few minutes and agreed Ron would stop by later that afternoon to discuss Marisol Sanchez.

E

Captain Stanley let his eyes roam across the men of Station 51 as they lined up for roll call on Tuesday morning. Would this really be the last time his full crew was together?

"I want us hanging at least 600 feet of hose today," Captain Stanley continued in his list of assignments; his voice not giving away the fact that his mind was a million miles away. Chief McConnike had not been helpful. He said if Marco wanted to leave he should let him do it right away and shouldn't force the issue of a two-week's notice. There were days he really despised that man.

"Marco, I've got you down for cooking duty today. Johnny, the dorm, Roy, kitchen and day room. Chet, the bay and Mike, sorry man, you're on latrines today.

Mike just smiled, nothing could ruin his good mood today, not even thinking about Marco. He'd woken up with Tina wrapped in his arms. He given her a kiss good-bye and she'd pulled him in for a second kiss and whispered she loved him in that sleepy voice of hers, that he just adored. "Kay, Cap."

Johnny looked over at Mike, hearing the pleasure in his response to latrine duty. "What's up with Mike," he whispered to Roy.

"My guess, he said those three little words to Tina," Roy whispered back.

"Wanna move in?" Johnny asked, with his trademark smirk that let Roy knew Johnny was well aware of what three words he meant.

"Funny."

"I thought so," Johnny said, moving toward the dorms as roll call broke up.

"Marco, can I see you in my office for a minute," Captain Stanley said before his senior linesman could disappear into the kitchen.

Marco resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He knew Captain Stanley was going to try to talk him out of leaving, but his mind was made up. Although, Marco had to admit he felt a little less sure since Marisol had reacted so negatively toward the idea of marriage and kids. He wondered if he wasn't more invested in their relationship that she was.

"Sure, Cap," Marco said, obediently following his Captain into the office.

Captain Stanley lowered his lanky frame into his chair and gave Marco a minute to sit and get comfortable. He steepled his hands under his chin and met Marco's eyes from across the desk. "Marco, I know your dead set on leaving Station 51 and California for that matter; but whatdya say we do a one-month leave of absence before we officially complete termination papers?"

"Cap, that'd mean you guys had to work with a replacement on overtime for a full month. I hate to do that to the guys," Marco said.

Captain Stanley worked hard to hide his smile. For Marco to have that answer ready right off the bat had to mean he'd at least already thought of the possibility. "I think the guys would prefer that Marco that letting today be your last day with no possibility of return. It's hard losing a member of the family. I think a slow transition would be easier for the crew," Captain Stanley said, giving Marco a safety net while making it sound like he was doing it for the guys, rather than himself.

"I don't know, Cap," Marco hesitated. He did like the idea of not closing the door on this part of his life completely, at least not yet.

The klaxons sounded before another word could be send. The multiple tones telling the men this was a big event.

"Think about it Marco. You can answer me later," Captain Stanley said, as he got up and moved toward the podium.

"Okay, Cap," Marco said, already heading out the door and toward his spot on the Engine.

"Station 10, Station 51, Engine 23, structure fire, 9286 Bayview, cross-street Clements. Time out 8:12."

"10-4, KMG 365," Captain Stanley keyed the mic as he watched Roy slip into the driver's seat of the squad. He pulled free the slip of paper and handed it to Roy as he rounded the squad and headed to his spot in the passenger seat of the Engine. Mike was already sitting in the driver's seat, turnout and helmet on, his mind already tracing the route to the fire.

Roy pulled the squad out of the bay as Captain Stanley cleared the hood; Johnny double checking the map to make sure the route that had flashed into his mind at the mention of the address really was the fastest way to go. Roy turned left as the Engine pulled out of the bay right behind him.

Johnny pointed out the black smoke billowing up into the sky a couple of blocks before they reached their destination. 9286 Bayview was the site of a very dilapidated apartment complex. New owners had just purchased the site. Squad 51 had done a fire inspection there just last week and had warned them about the paint cans, stripper and rags littering the ground on each floor of the building. Roy had explained to them that if there was even a small spark those would act as accelerates and cause the fire to spread too quickly to control.

As they rounded the corner, both Roy and Johnny knew the owners had not heeded their warning to clean up the mess. The building was fully engulfed, windows already blown out from multiple explosions; glass twinkled all across the parking lot as what sun could make it through the black smoke touched it.

People were lined up at the far end of the parking lot; many of them bleeding from cuts caused by exploding glass.

Johnny jumped out before Roy had even put the squad into park, moving to slip on his turnout.

Captain Stanley jumped down from the Engine and moved toward the man that appeared to be in charge. "Is there anyone left in the building?"

"I don't know, I don't know. It all happened so fast. One of the workers was smokin'; an ash dropped on a rag we'd just been using to strip off old varnish from the stair well. I went to get a fire extinguisher and when I came back the whole stairway was engulfed in flames. It moved so fast. The alarms never even went off," the man looked back at the building, his expression one of shock and disbelief.

"No alarms went off, we could have people trapped," Captain Stanley told his crew.

"Sir, how many units were occupied?" Captain Stanley, touched the man on his shoulder to get his attention again.

"Only 8, but we've had squatters living in a few of the units. Because we weren't ready for that level of remodeling yet, and they weren't hurting anyone, I've just kinda been turning a blind eye. I don't know how many have been living like that."

"Go," was all Captain Stanley had to say to his men. He raised the H-T and started directing the other responding units and called for reinforcements. He heard the tones sounding in response to his request as Sam called out 3 more Engines and 2 more Squads.

Johnny took his place behind Chet as they moved one hose into the inferno. Roy placed his hand on Marco's shoulder as they moved deeper into the dense smoke. They'd try to get to the top floor first and see if they could find any victims. Captain Stanley directed Station 10 to take the 2nd floor and Engine 23 to search the main floor.

The men of Station 51 slowly made their way to the third floor. "We're never gonna be able to get down this stairwell," Marco observed as bits of railing started to fall as the hose brushed against it as they climbed.

"I'll be happy if we make it up it before it collapses with us on it," Chet shouted over the roaring of the flames.

"Johnny," Roy shouted and pointed to his right. Johnny nodded and moved away from Chet to start checking the apartments on the left.

Progress was slow because there was so much debris it took time to decipher what was just garbage and building materials, and not a person huddled in a corner. The thick smoke made visibility almost zero and you had to be right up to an area in order to confidently clear it.

Johnny and Roy quickly marked a white chalk X on each apartment they cleared. The heat was intense and Johnny could feel the sweat dripping down his back as he moved to yet another apartment. He turned when he felt Chet tap his shoulder as he cleared the last corner of the apartment they were in.

Chet pointed toward the ceiling. Johnny wasn't sure if he audibly groaned or if the sense of dread was only heard in his head. It probably wouldn't have mattered; the fire was so loud even if he'd yelled his dismay Chet probably wouldn't have heard him. The fire was crawling along the beams in the ceiling, and the structure was dissolving quickly. The intense heat had already weakened the wood and the flames were devouring them seconds after coming into contact with them. Chunks of wood started falling off, hitting the helmets of the four fireman.

"We gotta go," Marco said, pulling at Roy's turnout before he could enter another apartment.

"I've only got one more to check," Roy said, continuing to move forward.

"No time," Marco yelled.

Johnny closed the door and made his X. "Go to a window and get a ladder ready," Johnny shouted, knowing Marco was right in his earlier observation that they wouldn't be going back down the stairwell. "Roy and I'll clear the last apartment and be there before you get to the bottom."

Johnny placed his hand on Roy's shoulder and they moved into the last apartment.

Marco shook his head, but he and Chet moved to the far end of the hallway. Chet slipped off his helmet and air mask just before he leaned out the window. "Hey! Hey!"

Mike had been watching for his friends and saw Chet's matted brown hair before he'd ever called out. Mike was already moving to pull that ladder off the engine and get it into positon.

Roy and Johnny moved as quickly as they good through the apartment. There wasn't any furniture, but stuffed animals and melted hot wheel cars told them someone had been living in the apartment.

"We gotta go," Roy yelled as large chunks of the ceiling began to fall around them.

"There should be a closet on that back wall," Johnny yelled back, pushing debris out of his way as he worked to get to the back wall. The apartments had all been laid on the same and he knew he'd been checking closets on the back wall in the others.

Roy quickly moved behind him, making sure they hadn't missed checking under any drapes or tables. His gut told him there were people in this apartment, but they hadn't found them yet.

Johnny finally found the closet door and as he opened the door, the hand of a little boy fell onto his dirty work boots. Two young children and a woman that was most likely their mother lay unconscious on the closet floor.

"Roy," Johnny called out, but it wasn't necessary. Roy was already kneeling down and pulling the little boy's body toward him.

"Put the little girl over my other shoulder," Roy yelled as he flipped the boy over his left shoulder.

Johnny pulled her out and lifted her up to drape her over Roy's right shoulder. Roy immediately started moving toward the front of the apartment.

Johnny knelt down and pulled the mother up enough to get her into his arms. He stood leaning against the wall for support from her extra weight and quickly exited the apartment.

Marco looked nervously over his shoulder; what was taking Johnny and Roy so long. The ceiling was not going to hold much longer. Chet slipped his leg out the window and began to descend the ladder, just as Roy reached the front door of the apartment.

"Chet, hold up," Marco called out, seeing the two young victims.

He moved to help Roy, but felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He unconsciously must have sensed a change in the sound of the fire, or the feel of the air around them because he glanced up just in time to see a large beam falling from the ceiling. He grabbed Roy's turn out and pulled him forward, quickly shoving him into a corner, his body acting as an extra shield between the victims and the falling beam.

Flames shot from the beam, quickly latching on to Marco's turnout. Roy tried to slap at it with his gloved hands, but having two victims over his shoulders limited his movements. Marco was trying to smother the flames by leaning against a wall, but the wall kept giving way and wouldn't smother the flames.

Marco suddenly felt himself grabbed from behind as firm hands stamped down the flames. He turned to see Johnny bending back down to retrieve the victim he'd sat on the floor to help his shift mate. Marco gave him a thumbs up before turning to shove the beam so Johnny could exit the apartment with the woman. He then quickly moved to take the little boy from Roy and hand him off to Chet, who quickly descended the ladder. Paramedics from Squad 10 waited at the bottom to rush the boy to a triage area.

Next, Marco slipped over the window ledge and got his footing on the ladder so Roy could hand off the young girl. He carried her down the ladder, watching to make sure Roy and Johnny were right behind him. He breathed a sigh of relief when Roy reached the ground with the mom and Johnny took his place on the ladder. Marco moved to carry the little girl over to triage area with Roy only a few steps behind him.

Marco deposited the young girl on the blanket.

"I'm sure glad you were there Marco. I'd never have seen that falling beam, it would have hit the three of us for sure," Roy said, as he knelt to lay the woman down. Johnny soon joined them with the biophone, and triage kit.

Marco watched them work for a few minutes and then made his way back to Captain Stanley for instructions of what to do now. There was no doubt about it, this was now going to be a situation of just trying to contain the fire to this one building, as the wind was picking up and embers were floating through the air.

The crew worked for hours to drown the hungry flames, but they were finally successful.

Marco leaned against the edge of the Engine, watching the other units gather their gear, drinking water from his canteen. He loved this job. He loved his teammates. Was this really going to be the last time they battle the beast together?

"Whatdya say, Marco," Captain Stanley said, as he sidled up to the senior linesman. "Can I make it a leave of absence for now?"

Marco looked down at the ground, feeling like he was betraying Marisol. "Yeah, Cap. Can we make it a leave of absence for a month? Just to help ease the transition," Marco said, sheepishly.

"You got it, Pal."


	15. Chapter 15

Roy backed the Squad into the Bay and sat in the cab for a few minutes. It was 7:59 AM, B-shift had arrived and was starting to mill around the front of the bay for their roll call.

"Is Marco really leaving?" Johnny asked, looking over at Roy.

"I guess so," Roy said, quietly.

"Can we do anything to stop him?" Johnny asked.

"I don't think so," Roy moved to open the door. "Let's go say good-bye."

"I don't wanna say good-bye," Johnny whined.

Roy looked over at his petulant partner and gave a small grin. He shook his head and got out of the squad, shutting the door. He had to admit, this time he agreed with him.

He paused when he heard Johnny get out of the squad and slam the door. Captain Stanley and Mike appeared in to doorway to the day room/kitchen. "Glad you guys made it back before he left."

"You know, we have rope," Johnny said, slow grin starting to spread across his face. "We could hog tie him and lock him in the cleaning closet."

Captain Stanley raised his thick, dark eye brows as he studied the young paramedic. He knew it wasn't right, but a part of his was tempted.

Roy and Mike turned to look at Captain Stanley when he said nothing. "Of course, I'm not gonna agree to that you twits," he said.

The men moved toward the locker room as a group. Johnny swung the door open and Chet and Marco looked up. They were in various stages of undress; Chet's shirt was unbuttoned and hanging open, he had been leaning over untying his shoes. Marco was standing in his t-shirt, he had just finished putting on his pants and was standing there in his socks.

Johnny opened his mouth. "Don't start, Gage," Marco said.

"You don't know what I was gonna say," Johnny sounded hurt.

"You were gonna try to talk me out of leaving again," Marco said, pulling his shirt out of his locker.

"I was gonna say if you change your mind and want to come back, give me a call. I can fly out to Colorado and help you drive back," Johnny said, opening his locker door.

The guys continued changing in silence. Captain Stanley and Mike leaning against the counter, their gazes on the floor.

"What's the plan?" Roy asked, sitting down on the bench as he finished putting on his shoes.

"I'm gonna go catch a couple hours sleep at Chet's," Marco said, leaning his shoulder against his now empty locker. "Then close out my bank account, go to my house to pack up some things for the next few weeks and meet Marisol." Marco said; leaving out the part where he was meeting her in the old warehouse district as Jose completed a drug deal.

"Good luck, Marco," Mike said, looking at his friend and wondering if this was really the last time he would see him.

"Thanks, Mike," Marco shoved away from the locker and stepped over the bench. He stretched out his hand. Mike stepped forward, taking Marco's hand and giving him a firm handshake. Marco moved to shake Captain Stanley's hand and Mike briefly thought that women were lucky in situations like this. Had this been Tina or Ashley, they would have hugged Marco and let their tears slide down their faces. Instead, the six men shook hands, and their eyes were dry. But, Mike knew, that like him, they all felt an ache in their chest as they watched their brother leave for an uncertain future.

Chet and Marco walked out of Station 51 and got into Chet's station wagon in silence. The ride to Chet's house took place with no words and each man moved to their respective sleeping places with an exchange look, but sounds. Marco laid down on the couch, thinking he wouldn't be able to sleep, but the physical exhaustion of so many rough runs in the last 24-hours quickly caught up with him and he felt himself slipping into the deep sleep of exhaustion.

E

"Here," Jose said, holding a gun by the barrel and handing to handle first to Marisol.

She stood looking at it, not moving. Frank watched the expressions flickering across her face.

"Take it, Marisol. You're not gonna be able to shoot Marco with your finger," Jose said, his voice irritated.

"I already have a gun," Marisol said, quietly.

"What?" Frank couldn't help speaking aloud, in his surprise at her statement.

Marisol looked at him briefly, but then looked back at Jose, who was staring at her, his mouth slightly open. She moved down the hall to the room she shared with him. She opened the closet and knelt down on the floor, leaning forward and finding a plain cloth box in the back of her closet. She pulled it into her lap and lifted the lid. She removed a bunch of old newspaper articles and lifted the false bottom from the box. She slid out the black, Colt, holding it in her hand and turning it slightly. It was heavier than she remembered. She stood up and walked back to the kitchen where Jose and Frank still waited.

"It was Rico's gun. The one he carried the night he died," Marisol said.

'How'd you get it?" Jose asked, his eyes narrowing.

Marco had said he threw the gun out the window. I searched the lot and found it that night before I left. I've been keeping it ever since. Rico's revenge with Rico's gun," Marisol said.

Jose looked at the revolver in her hands. "It needs bullets."

"I know. You can get me some?" Marisol looked at him.

"Frank, take her and get her some bullets for that gun," Jose said, nodding at his number 2.

Frank stood up, not taking his eyes off Marisol. She actually looked really sexy holding that gun. "Sure, I can take her."

"Go now," Jose said. "I want to be ready for tonight."

Frank watched as Marisol tucked the gun into the back of her pants and pulled she shirt down to cover it. He let her walk in front of her out the door.

He followed her down the stairs and out onto the street. People were bustling along the sidewalks, but Frank only watched Marisol. They passed an alley and Frank grabbed her arm and pulled her into it, away from the eyes of anyone who may be on the street. He pulled her behind dome tall boxes.

"What are you doing?" Marisol asked.

"Don't do this, Marisol," Frank said, his eyes locking with her. "You're not a killer. If you pull that trigger tonight, you'll never let it go. Taking a human life changes you. I don't want that to happen to you. Don't do this," Frank's voice was pleading.

"Why are you doing this?" Marisol asked.

"I care about you, Marisol. Even if you don't want to hear that," Frank said.

"I owe this to my brother," Marisol said.

"You don't owe anyone this. Not this. I'm telling your Marisol, you'll never be the same if you pull that trigger," Frank said.

"You've killed someone?" Marisol asked, her body releasing some of the tension as she leaned against the wall, realizing Frank wasn't going to try anything funny.

"Yes," was all Frank said.

"Why?"

Frank's eyes searched hers, like he was trying to read her soul. Marisol looked down, focusing her gaze on a scar at the base of his throat. It was stretched thin, like it was from a long time ago and had grown as he had grown, stretching with his skin.

"Trust me when I tell you it doesn't matter why. I threw up immediately after, everyone I've ever seen kill their first person throws up. Your bodies way of trying to rid itself of that violence, that evil, I guess. I only have to think about to suddenly remember every detail, every sight, every sound, every smell," Frank said, moving away from her. "Don't do this Marisol."

Marisol paused, her mind racing through several things. "I have to, Frank. But, I'll keep what you said in mind."

Marisol moved out of the alleyway and back onto the street. Frank cursed under his breath and moved after her. They walked the rest of the way in silence, purchased the bullets and headed back to the apartment. In just a few hours this would all be over.

E

Marco could see the car in the distance at the other building. He knew Marisol would be going with Jose and Frank to meet a drug dealer. Marisol had been sure that Jose would leave her in the car. The plan was for her to wait until she was sure it was clear, then she was going to slip out of the car and meet him in Building 18. Marco walked along the side of the building, staying close to the wall so no one would be able to see him in the shadows. He came to what would have once been a door, but was now a board that was fairly easy to push in and squeeze into the dark building. He looked around, giving his eyes time to adjust to the even darker area. He finally was able to make out a stairway in the distance to his right. Marisol had wanted him to meet her on the third floor. She said there was a room that was still all windows. It would allow her to watch and make sure Jose wasn't coming. Marco moved slowly up to the staircase and up to the third floor. He hoped Marisol was already waiting for him.

The Detective stood watching as Jose showed the Shadow the cash for the drugs. Shadow allowed Jose to test the drugs. There was nothing to do, but stand and watch. This really sucked. These two could be arrested for drugs and this nightmare could be over. There was enough weight here to put Jose away for over a decade.

Jose turned to look at Marisol and Frank who both stood behind him. "Wanna little taste," Jose offered to Marisol.

She shook her head.

"Why not?"

"I need to be clear for later," Marisol said quietly, turning to look at Frank when Jose turned back to his deal.

The Detective's eyes narrowed as Shadow left the area, the money in his possession. Knowing that there were multiple cops hidden all around was the only thing that made it possible to let this scumbag walk away. One of the other officers would quietly arrest Shadow before he got too far away and they would put him behind bars.

"Ready?"

Frank and Marisol were both pulled from their private thoughts by Jose's words. "Marco's probably waiting for us," Jose said, a sinister smile spreading across his face.

Marisol took a deep breath and nodded. The threesome took a back way out of the warehouse so Marco wouldn't see them approaching through the windows. Jose and Frank held back as Marisol started her ascent up the stairs to the third floor. They would follow behind her in just a few seconds.

Frank looked around. "Jumpy, Frank," Jose said.

"I still don't think Marisol can do this," Frank whispered. "Are you ready to pull the trigger if she can't?"

"Don't worry about it, Frank," Jose said. "The only way Marco is leaving this building is in a body bag."

Marco turned at a sound near the stairs. "I was worried you'd changed your mind," Marco said, as Marisol climbed the last few stairs.

There wasn't any power, but there was floor to ceiling windows along one wall. Outside, the moon was full and a couple of street lights provided plenty of light in this space.

"I didn't change my mind," Marisol said, quietly.

Marco took in her slow movements, like her feet were encased in cement and the serious expression on her face. He let his eyes wander down her body to her empty hands. "Where's your suitcase?" Marco asked, feeling his body start to tense, the way it did when the engine rounded a corner and he got his first look at a four alarm fire.

"I don't need my suitcase," Marisol said, as she proceeded to move closer to Marco, her eyes locked on his face.

Marco took a step back without even thinking about it. "Have you changed your mind?"

"No, she hasn't changed her mind," Jose said, coming to the top of the stairs.

"What's goin' on?" Marco said, his eyes darting from Jose to Marisol.

"Payback," Marisol whispered.

"What?" Marco turned to stare at her.

"You killed Rico," Marisol said.

"I swear to you I didn't," Marco started, starting to move toward her.

"You did!" She screamed, stopping Marco in his tracks. "You let him grab Jorge, you let him go to that building. You should've never left him." Marisol knew there were tears running down her cheeks, but she didn't bother wiping them away.

"You thought you'd get away with it, didn't ya," Jose sneered. "Skipping out on C-14, abandoning your brothers. You weren't man enough to defend C-14's honor when the 18th Street gang attacked us on our own territory, and you weren't man enough to face us to leave the gang. Instead you let Daddy tell everyone you were dead and you ran away. Well now it's time to face the past."

"Yes, yes it is," Frank said, reaching behind his back and pulling out a 9MM and pointing it at Jose.

"What the hell are you doin'?" Jose asked.

"Jorge was my brother," Frank seethed. "I've spent the last 2 years working my way up in C-14 to get my revenge."

"Jorge deserved it! He did the drive by on our turf that day. He deserved what he got," Jose spat.

"He did it because members of C-14 came onto our territory and attacked me on my way to school," Frank used his free hand to pull back his shirt, revealing the scar Marisol had looked at earlier. They slit my throat and left me to die. Jorge was just trying to avenge me. And now I'll avenge him," Frank said, raising the gun and pointing it at Jose's head.

"Put down the gun, Frank."

Marco turned to look at Marisol. She was holding a gun and pointing it at Frank.

"You can't save him Marisol. He has to die," Frank said, his eyes only flicking to her for a second; his focus primarily on Jose.

"I'm not gonna let you kill him," Marisol said. Her eyes quickly flicking to Marco and Jose to make sure neither was moving.

"He killed Rico, not Marco," Frank said. "Everyone knew that Rico had freaked out at the last second. Jose called him a traitor. Marco broke in and a fight broke out. Rico tried to get away, but Jose tracked him down and slit his throat."

"I can't let you kill him, Frank."

"I can't let you kill Marco," Frank said.

"You led me here to kill me?" Marco looked at her.

Marisol took her eyes off Frank to look at Marco. There's eyes met and her heart broke at the look of betrayal that crossed his face.

"Not exactly," Marisol said.

Frank turned to look at her, something in her voice catching his attention.

Jose used that moment to reach for his gun. Marisol and Frank both looked back a second too late. Jose had his weapon drawn and pointed at Frank.

"Drop the gun, Jose," Marisol ordered.

"What the hell, Marisol. I kill him, you kill Marco. We've got the drugs to take over the 18th Street territory and eliminated the traitor and the rat who infiltrated our gang all in one night. We can go and bask in the glory of our win," Jose glanced briefly at her, confused to why her gun was now pointing at him.

"I never had any intention of killing Marco," Marisol said.

"Then what the hell are you doing?" Jose turned to look at her.

Frank took that moment to make his move, Marco jumped at the sound of the gun discharging and he watched Jose clutch his stomach, the gun dropping to the floor as Jose dropped to his knees.

"Drop the gun," Marisol turned the gun on Frank.

"Relax, Marisol," Frank said, the gun still pointed at Jose. "You're not my target. But, this has to be finished." Frank took a step forward.

"Police! Drop the gun," Marisol ordered again. She pulled a badge from her pocket and flashed it to Frank. The other hand holding the gun, pointed at him.

Marisol looked down at Jose as she gave her order. He had moved to lay on his side, blood covering his hands, that held his stomach. "You're the rat in our midst?" Jose grunted.

"Drop the gun, Frank."

"I can't do that Marisol. He has to die."

"He's goin' to jail," Marisol said. "I just watched him do a drug deal that's gonna get him 10 years minimum."

"Not good enough."

"You hear that," Marisol said, and then stopped talking so Frank could hear the sound of footsteps moving on the stairs. "Those are a whole lot of police officers on their way up the stairs to contain this situation. If you're holding a gun when they get here, you're gonna get shot."

The sound of bullets ringing out had Marisol moving for cover. Jose had another gun. Marisol wondered briefly where it had come from. The gun he had dropped still lay on the floor a few feet from him. He was aiming to hit anyone he could, Marisol, Frank or Marco.

Marisol watched as Marco dove for the floor, a bullet fracturing the glass right behind where he had just been standing. Jose was using a column to pull himself to his feet. His next shot directed at Frank, who cried out in pain and dropped to the ground. It looked like he got hit in the leg to Marisol. She rolled to the side and took her position. She aimed and pulled the trigger on her gun. She fired twice in rapid succession and Jose dropped to the ground, blood pouring from his chest. The gun still laying in his limp hand.

"Police, don't move!" Men stormed the floor from the stairs. For a few seconds total chaos ensued. Frank and Marco were both handcuffed. Someone called for paramedics for Jose. Marisol's lieutenant was at her side before she managed to make sense of all the bodies moving about the scene.

"Get Marco out of the handcuffs," she said, nodding her head to where Marco stood, his hands cuffed behind his back, an officer holding each arm.

"That's our fireman," the lieutenant called out. "Get 'im outta here and someone take his statement."

The police officers near Marco quickly unlocked the handcuffs and led him down the stairs. Marco turned and his eyes briefly locked on Marisol's. He wasn't even sure what to think about what had just happened.

He made his way over to the stairs, briefly looking at Jose's lifeless body and the blood coming from Frank's leg. He made his way down the stairs and out into the cool air. He heard the sirens in the distance.

He watched as Squad 51 pulled up and Dwyer and Stevens jumped out of the squad. They quickly grabbed equipment and headed into the building behind a police officers. Marco stood leaning against a police car as an ambulance arrived on the scene and the ambulance attendants grabbed the gurney and headed inside.

Marco forced his attention to the police officer that was asking him question in an attempt to get his statement. Marco still couldn't process everything that had happened.

"And then Marisol identified herself as a police officer and told Frank to put down the gun," Marco said, in answer to yet another question.

"You're sure she identified herself as a police officer?" The Lieutenant asked.

"Yes. She said, Police, drop your gun; and then she pulled a badge out of her pocket," Marco said.

"You just about done? We need to check him over."

"I'm fine, Dwyer," Marco said, looking over at the paramedic.

"You of all people know that sometimes victims don't know their victims. You're getting checked," Dwyer said, moving closer to Marco.

"He's all yours," The Lieutenant moved away and headed back into the building. He wanted to talk to his Detective.

Marco breathed a sigh of relief as Dwyer took a step back.

"Your good, Marco. I gotta get to the hospital. Do you want me to call anyone?"

"No, thanks, Pal. I'm good."

Marco leaned back against the police car and watched as Marisol exited the building with her Lieutenant.

"You did good, Detective," the Lieutenant slapped a hand on her shoulder and moved to his car. His work here was done. The Coroner had just pulled up and would take care of moving Jose's body.

Marisol looked around and saw Marco leaning against the squad car. She slipped her hands into her pocket and took a deep breath before heading in her direction.

Marco noticed the change in her walk. She walked with more authority. He wondered if it came from the fact she was no longer pretending to be someone she wasn't or was the badge attached to the waist band of her pants, or the gun in the holster on her hip.

She walked up and stood in front of him for a few seconds, neither of them saying anything.

"I'm sorry you found out this way," Marisol said.

"Was it all a lie?" Marco asked the question that had been dominating his thoughts most of the night.

"No," Marisol said quietly, her gaze on the ground. "Not all of it."

"What part?" Marco had to know.

"I know you didn't directly kill Rico; but I'm mad you left him. If you'd stayed with him, kept him from grabbing Jorge, he might be alive today," Marisol said, the anger obvious in her voice.

"I didn't have a choice, Marisol," Marco said. "He was so mad when I told him I wouldn't kill Jorge. He had just seen friends shot and killed. He wasn't in a state of mind to reason with."

"You walked away because you were overwhelmed. You were scared," Marisol accused.

"I was sixteen," Marco said, his voice rising. Marco ran a hand through his hair. "How could you let me do all this? I was quitting my job for you. Moving away from my friends and family. I packed my stuff, I have a car full of stuff ready to head to Colorado tonight. With a woman I thought I loved, and I thought loved me. Turns out I don't even know you. How could you do that to me? Do you really hate me that much?"

"I don't hate you," Marisol said. "I was falling in love with you. A part of me wanted to go through with our plan, to just sneak away and go to Colorado with you. But, this is my job, Marco," Marisol said, sweeping her arms to encompass all the police cars with their lights still flashing, the yellow police tape closing off the area.

"But you let me leave my job!"

"I tried to stop you," Marisol said, her voice rising now. "That night in the hotel, I tried to slow things down. But, I needed to get you here. My boss wanted Jose to try to kill you so we could get him on attempted murder."

"So you were willing to gamble with my life?"

"He's my boss; he gets to make the calls."

"You don't have to follow bad orders, Marisol."

"You don't understand."

"No, no I don't," Marco admitted.

"So what now?" Marisol said, lifting her head to look at him.

"I don't know. Can we get together tomorrow night for dinner? Try getting to know each other for real?"

"You want to do that?" Marisol said, a faint smile crossing her face.

"Yeah, I think I do," Marco smiled back at her.


	16. Chapter 16

Marisol paused just briefly before pushing open the door. "Hello, Frank."

"Marisol, if that is your real name," Frank said, from his hospital bed, contempt in his voice.

"It is my real name," Marisol said, moving across the room. She had expected the hostility and didn't let it faze her.

"You know, at the end, Jose had pegged you for the cop. Or me," Frank said, watching her face.

"But not enough to confront me," Marisol said, moving next to the bed.

"I think he was leaning toward me," Frank said, watching his own hand as it picked at his blanket.

"I pulled your RAP sheet," Marisol said, this time she watched for Frank's reaction.

He simply looked up at her.

"There's nothing on it," Marisol finished her thought. "You want to tell me what you were doing infiltrating C-14?"

"Everything I said that night was true. Jorge was my brother. Jose killed him and I wanted revenge."

"I don't get it Frank. You haven't been running with the 18th Street gang, or you'd have an arrest record. And what was with the lecture about not killing anyone? How would you even know what that does to a person? You never killed anyone," Marisol ran a hand through her hair. This whole case had been a nightmare, but most of it was because of her feelings about herself. But, she couldn't make sense of Frank either.

"Jorge didn't want me to be in the gang. In fact, he wanted out. He'd killed someone. He hadn't meant to. He'd been ordered to rob a liquor store, the owner had pulled a gun and Jorge shot him. He changed after that. He had nightmares, he didn't know I knew, but I'd wake up hearing him thrashing in his bed. His temper was shorter, he was unhappy. He made me promise I'd get out. I was smart, he told me I could get a scholarship to college and make something of myself."

"If he wanted out, why'd he do the drive by on C-14 that day?"

"The day before the drive by, I'd been walking to school and 2 guys from C-14 jumped me," Frank's hand went to the scar on his neck. "I wasn't wearing colors, there wasn't any reason to jump me other than just being mean. They beat me pretty bad. I tried to fight back, but they were both bigger and older. Just before they left, one of 'em pulled a knife and sliced my throat."

Marisol stood there quietly, knowing one of the attackers was probably Jose. He'd slit Rico's throat and all the intel they had on him indicated he liked using knives over guns and typically went for the throat.

"Jorge was furious. He decided he was gonna make C-14 pay for their actions. He got some guys together. You know the rest," Frank shrugged his shoulders. "He came to see me after that in the hospital. He told me he was done, that he was leaving 18s and as soon as I was better he was getting me out of that area."

"What about your parents?"

Frank shook his head. "My dad was never in the picture, at least not that I remember. My mom wasn't around much either; always looking for a new man. Jorge was all I had and Jose killed him. I kept my distance from the gangs, because of my promise to Jorge. I went to college and earned my degree. I actually have a degree in finance and intend to go to New York and join the New York Stock Exchange. But, I couldn't go and leave Jose free to keep killing people. I had to kill him before I left. It was the only way I could put that part of my life behind me."

"Do you feel better now that's he's dead?" Marisol asked.

Frank sat their quietly for a long time. "I really thought I would."

Marisol stood silently for a few minutes, but Frank said nothing else. "But?"

"I just miss Jorge. Since I've been in here, all I keep thinking about is our lives together," Frank took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Not the gang stuff. The brother stuff, ya know. Playing baseball when we were younger. The nights he'd attempt to make us hot food, we didn't get that very often. And every time he tried, we end up with charcoal outside and raw inside on everything," Frank chuckled and then sniffed back tears that threatened to fall.

"The DA's not gonna press charges," Marisol said.

Frank looked up at her.

"When you get outta here, you can go to New York and become a successful stock broker. Make Jorge proud," Marisol said.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. You can put this all behind you and move forward with your life," Marisol smiled at his shocked expression. At least something good would come out of all of this.

"Thank you," Frank said, still shocked that he wouldn't be doing jail time for everything he did.

"Stay away from trouble, Frank. Live a good life," Marisol moved toward the exit.

"What about you?"

"What?" Marisol asked, turning to look back at the bed, just before she opened the hospital room door.

"I was with Jose for over a year and you were there before me. You were his girlfriend, Marisol. You lived with him. Was it all a game? Part of a lie for your job?"

"Yes," Marisol said.

"You can do that; whatever it takes for the job?"

Marisol stood still for a few seconds, her mind quickly running through all the things she had done over the past year and a half. "Supposedly," Marisol said, and let herself out of the room.

E

Marco waited for Marisol at the restaurant. After having the day to think about everything she'd put him through, he wondered why he'd ever asked her to come to dinner. Now that the shock of the night before had worn off, he realized he was mad, real mad.

He watched as Marisol got out of a car and started moving toward him. Seeing her sent a wave of anger washing over him. Rather than stand where he was, he started walking toward her. He hadn't even realized his hands balled into fists.

Marisol, seeing the way he was walking and noticing his hands, stopped and found herself taking a defensive stance. Feeling herself tense, she forced herself to take a deep breath and relax her shoulders.

"I don't wanna do this," Marco said, when he reached her.

"Marco, wait," Marisol said, when he moved to walk away.

"You coulda got me killed!" Marco vented.

"I know," Marisol said, quietly. "I told the same thing to my Lieutenant. I didn't want to bring you into this, Marco. But, I inadvertently did when I recognized you the night of the fire. The plan had been to get Jose for his activities in the gang. He gave me some access, but never committed a crime in front of me. When my Lieutenant found out I knew you, and that Jose now knew you were alive; he worked out this scheme to get Jose for attempted murder."

"And you just went along with it," Marco said, his voice dripping with disdain.

"He killed Rico, Jose slit his throat in cold-blood; I wanted him arrested," Marisol said.

"Arrested or dead?" Marco accused her.

"You want me to say it; I'm glad he's dead," Marisol spat out. "But, I would've been just as happy to see him with life behind bars."

"How do you do it, Marisol? Live like that? You were pretending to be Jose's girlfriend. I know what was required of a Cholo's girl. You had to do those things, to get away with your ruse," Marco could taste the disgust in his words.

Marisol felt herself start to shake. "Do you think I don't know what I did? I was so focused on getting the guy that killed Rico, I could've done anything. Until I saw you again. Until I started spending time with you and you reminded me of the times in our life that weren't so hopeless. These last few weeks, it's been hard to look myself in the mirror."

"I don't know if I can let it go," Marco said. "You were willing to risk my life for a bust."

"I'd already given up my life for it," Marisol whispered.

Marco and Marisol stood staring at each other for a few minutes, neither saying a word. "I don't blame you for how you feel Marco. I'm sorry, for what I did to you. I really am. But, I can't honestly tell you I'd do anything differently, if I had it to do over again. Be safe, Marco," Marisol turned and headed back toward her car.

"Marisol," Marco called out. "What are you gonna do now?"

Marisol turned to face him. "I don't know." She turned and got back into her car. Marco watched as she pulled out of the parking lot and drove down the street. He felt a heaviness in his heart.

E

Marisol walked into her boss's office. He looked up from the file he was reviewing. Before he could speak, he watched her place her badge and her gun on his desk. "I'm done," was all she said, and she turned and headed back toward the door she had just entered.

"Wait a minute," he said, standing to his feet. "Whatdya mean you're done."

"I've done things over the last eighteen months that will haunt me the rest of my life," Marisol said, closing the door and turning around to face him. "I joined the police force to right wrongs. To put bad people behind bars. The line between what a police officer is supposed to do, and what I've done is so blurred, you can't even call it a smudge."

"You're a good cop, Marisol."

"I can't do this anymore," Marisol shook her head.

"Marco convince you of that?"

Marisol snorted and shook her head. "Marco has nothing to do with this. But, yes, realizing I lost a chance with him because of what I've done to make my collar. It was just another straw in an overwhelming pile."

"You're too good to give up bein' a cop. Will you consider a transfer?"

"You'd let me do that?" Marisol looked surprised.

"Major crimes, gang division is a tough assignment Marisol. It's not where people spend their whole careers. Burglary or homicide are both areas people go into when they leave major crimes. I can put you in either division."

"What about as a negotiator?"

"A negotiator?"

"I've taken some of the training classes. In fact, I only need 3 more to be certified. I really like the idea of using my mouth to talk people down before they've crossed the line that gets them in big trouble."

"Okay. I'll sign the paperwork this afternoon. Now take your badge and gun and get outta my office."

Marisol smiled. She slipped her gun back into her holster and put her badge in her pocket. No more lying, no more doing things that made her stomach turn to try to get the job done, no more wondering if the ends justified the means. She wondered if it would easier to look in the mirror tomorrow.

E

"Marco!" Johnny called out as he exited his Rover and saw the senior linesman headed toward the back entrance of Station 51.

Marco turned and smiled as the young paramedic bounded toward him. "Man, I am so glad you aren't leaving us!" Johnny slapped him on the back.

"Me too," was all Marco said, an image of Marisol flashing through his head.

They joined Chet and Roy in the locker room. "Marco," both Roy and Chet called out as he entered the locker room. "Man, I am so glad you're back. They were gonna have Jacobs from 91 working for you today."

"Ugh," Marco grimaced. Jacobs was a nice guy, but he had a total lack of respect for personal space. The man stood so close to you when he talked you didn't have to guess what he'd eaten for lunch you could smell it on his breath.

The four men moved out of the locker room and toward the day room to get some coffee. "Marco, it's great to see you," Mike said, pouring a cup of coffee and handing it to Marco.

"Thanks, Mike," Marco said, briefly thinking that if things hadn't gone down the way they did he'd be with Marisol right now, either at Lake Tahoe, or maybe the Grand Canyon, or maybe even in Vegas getting married.

"Chet must not have seen the paper yesterday," Mike said, observing Chet's calm demeanor.

"Whatdya talkin' about?" Chet asked.

Mike handed over the front page section of the newspaper. There was a picture of Chet, the young boy from the fire the other day over his shoulder. Chet's helmet was hanging behind his head, his face covered in soot, his expression serious. The headline read, "Heroes rescue homeless family from blazing building."

"Look at that," Chet said, standing a bit straighter.

"Why are you the only one photographed?" Johnny asked, looking over his shoulder.

"They went for the handsome, Gage," Chet said.

"Give me a break," Johnny said, walking over to get his coffee.

The men moved out of the Station to line up for roll call. The bay doors were open because the plan was to wash the engine as soon as they finished roll call.

They all noticed the young lady standing at the bay entrance as they moved to the front to line up.

"Can I help you Miss?" Captain Stanley asked.

The young woman was staring at Chet. He looked at her and went to look away, but quickly looked back, his eyes narrowing. "Do I know you?" He asked.

The young girl shook her head. "I saw your picture in the paper yesterday," she said.

Chet took a step closer to her. He had to know her; she looked so familiar.

"Have we responded to a rescue with you before?"

She shook her head no again. "I don't live around here."

"How did you get here?" Roy asked, his gaze moving between Chet and the young woman. He guessed her to be about fourteen or fifteen.

"I took the bus," she said.

"Miss, do your parents know you're here?" Captain Stanley asked, starting to be concerned about her behavior.

She shook her head no again.

"I know I know you," Chet said.

"You should," she said, her eyes meeting his. "I'm your daughter."

The guys all turned to look at Chet, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. His mind going back fifteen years to the young woman with red hair and green eyes. That opening line from "A Tale of Two Cities" summed up that time of his life perfectly. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

He blinked, and turned his attention to the young woman again. This time seeing the curliness of her hair, the shape of her nose; and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that what she said was true.


End file.
